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CLDEHRIGHT DEPOSIT 



THERESA HELBURN 



ALLISON 
MAKES HAY 




A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS 



Walter H. Baker 6 Co.. Boston 











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Allison Makes Hay 



Allison Makes Hay 

A Comedy in Three Acts 



By 
THERESA HELBURN 



Originally produced at The Belmont Theatre, New York, 
under the title of "Crops and Croppers " 



PLEASE NOTICE 

The acting rights of this play are strictly reserved. Perform- 
ance may be given by amateurs on payment of a royalty of fifteen 
dollars ($15.00) for the first, and $7.50 for each succeeding per- 
formance by the same cast. Correspondence on this subject 
should be addressed to the publishers. The professional stage 
rights and moving picture rights are also strictly reserved, and 
performance by professional actors, given in advertised places 
of amusement and for profit, is forbidden. Persons who may 
wish to produce this play publicly and professionally should 
apply to the author in care of the publishers. 



BOSTON 

WALTER H. BAKER & CO. 

1919 



Allison Makes Hay 

PERSONS OF THE PLAY 

[Iti the order of their appearance) 

Margot Marbrook. 19, her sister. 

Janey Wimpole, 19, her sister s friend. 

Annie, her maid. 

Peter Weston, 53, almost her guardian. 

Allison Marbrook, 23, herself. 

Roy Parcher, 24, her soldier. 

Stetson, her first recruit. 

Jean, 27, her hired man. 

Mrs. Bradley, 35, her last resort. 

Dr. Truesdale, 34, her unsuspected ally. 

Stephen Marbrook, 29, her brother. 

Mrs. Spencer, 51, ) . . ,, _ 

Mrs. Pray, 32, \ ^ neighbors. 

Pete Cobb, her victim. 

SYNOPSIS 

Act I. — Her house in New York. 
. Act II.— Her farm. 

Act III. — Her tenant house. 

Time. — 1917. Our first year of the war. 




Copyright, 191 8, by Theresa Helburn 

[As an unpublished Dramatic Composition tinder the 

title of "Economy ' ) 

Copyright, 1919, by Theresa Helburn 
As author and proprietor 

All stage and movmg picture rights reserved 



©0.0 52173 

JUL 10 1919 



To 
JEAN LE ROT 

Poet a?id Soldier 
Killed in Action 
April 26th f ipiS 



The first performance of 

Allison Makes Hay 

Was given at The Belmont Theatre, New York, 

Thursday evening, September 12, 1918, under 

the title of " Crops and Croppers," with 

the following 

CAST OF CHARACTERS 

[In the order of their appearance) 



Annie, her maid . 

Janie Wimpole, her sister s friend . 

Margot Marbrook, her sister . 

Peter Weston, almost her. guardian 

Allison Marbrook, herself 

Roy Parcher, her soldier 

Stetson, her first recruit 

Jean, her hired man . 

Mrs. Bradley, her last resort 

Dr. Truesdale, her unsuspected ally 

Stephen Marbrook, her brother . 

Mrs. Spencer ) , . , , 

Mrs. Pray \ her neighbors. 

Pete Cobb, her victim. 



. Irene Daly 
. Eleanor Fox 
Louise Cook 
. Ben Johnson 
Eileen Huban 
Thomas Mitchell 
J. M. Trough ton 
Georges Flateau 
Madeleine Valentine 
. Vernon Kelso 
Henry Stanford 
Helen Westley 
Maud Sinclair 
. Charles Kennedy 



The play was produced under the personal 
direction of B. Iden Payne 



vn 



PLEASE NOTICE 

The professional stage-rights and moving picture rights in this 
play are strictly reserved by the author. Applications for its 
use should be addressed to the author in care of the publishers. 



Attention is called to the penalties provided by the Copyright 
Law of the United States of America in force July I, 1909, for 
any infringement of her rights, as follows : 

Sec. 28. That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any 
Copyright secured by this Act, or who shall knowingly and wilfully aid 
or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and 
upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not ex- 
ceeding one year or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, or both, 
at the discretion of the court. 

Sbc. 29 That any person who, with fraudulent intent, shall insert or 
impress any notice of Copyright required by this Act, or words of the 
same purport, in or upon any uncopyrighted article, or with fraudulent in- 
tent shall remove or alter the copyright notice upon any article duly copy- 
righted shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not less 
than one hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars. 



Vlll 



Allison Makes Hay 



ACT I 

The scene is the living-room in the Marbrooks' 
house in New York, an irregular shaped room 
zvith a fire, l., and near it a comfortable dav- 
enport and a tea-table. Across the room a big 
flat-topped desk, in front of which is a small 
settee. Bookcases, easy chairs, etc. The furni- 
ture is mahogany, the hangings and upholstery 
a quiet tapestry. A small cutting table, on 
which are piles of flannel and cheese-cloth, 
stands up stage. A door, centre back, leads to 
the hall, a door r. leads to another room. The 
time is an afternoon in February. 

When the curtain rises, Annie, the maid, has just 
left the tea-tray on the small table near the fire- 
place and is going out. Margot Marbrook, a 
pretty, dark, piquante girl of nineteen, in a 
simple house dress, sits by the table about to 
serve. .Janey Wimpole, also pretty and nine- 
teen, throws her coat and furs on the settee and 
comes across to the tea-table. Margot is em- 
phatic, a little spoiled, at. times almost sharp; 
Janey, plump, a little greedy, ecstatic. All en- 
trances and exits are through door to hall un- 
less otherwise specified. 
i 



2 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Janey. 
Tea — I'm starving! 

M ARGOT. 

Then you'll be disappointed. Allison's getting so 
frightfully economical we never have anything to 
eat any more — no cake — just toast and crackers. 
She says we must set an example to the servants. 
What do you take ? 

Janey. 
[Sitting.] Cream and two lumps. 

Margot. 
We don't have cream, just milk, nor lump sugar. 
[Holding up spoonful of granulated sugar.] How 
many grains? 

Janey. 
Oh, I hate granulated! 

Margot. 
Wait a minute, I can fix that. [She goes to cov- 
ered cloisonne vase on the bookcase, l., and dumps 
the contents into her hand.] Secret stores! Have 
to get ahead of Allison somehow ! 

[She returns to the table and deposits a hand- 
fid of paper-wrapped sugar lumps thereon. 

Janey. 
Lump sugar! Where did you get it? [Picking 
up a lump, she reads.] " Ritz-Carlton Hotel " ? 

Margot. 
Teaed there yesterday with Ted Colton. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 3 

Janey. 
[Picking up another.] " Cafe des Beaux 
Arts" ? 

M ARGOT. 

Sh ! That was last week — Jimmy Strother ! 

Janey. 
[Meme jeu.] " Briarcliffe Lodge ! " 

Margot. 
Sunday dinner. Timothy Wayne [with a little 
moue] — and chaperbn. Well, which will you have? 

Janey. 
I think 1*11 have the Beaux Arts. 

Margot. 
[Protesting.] No, no, not the Beaux Arts ! Poor 
Jimmy, he left for Spartanburg that night ! 

[She sighs. 

Janey. 
Well, may I have Teddy and the Ritz ? 

Margot. 
Oh, no, leave me Teddy ! You'd better take Tim- 
othy and the chaperon. The lumps are bigger any- 
way. 

Janey. 
All right. I loathe Timothy. Perhaps the tea 
will drown him. Tell me, what's the matter with 
Allison ? You're not really getting poor, are you ? 



4 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Margot. 
Not that I know of. But Allison says it's our war 
duty. Allison's just hipped about the war! Of 
course the war is terrible — with all the men going 
away and everything. 

Janey. 
[Helping herself to toast.] Dreadful! Dreadful! 

Margot. 
There won't be a soul left soon ! Allison wouldn't 
hear of my coming out this year ! She says it's not 
the time to think of social things. And, of course, I 
don't want to either. What w'ould be the use?. 
There isn't anything to come out to except a lot of 
old ladies and bald heads ! 

Janey. 
That's just the way I feel. [Seriously.] I think 
I'll study nursing. 

Margot. 
I'm crazy to. You know Dorothea's in a hospital 
at Rouen. She writes the most interesting letters. 
She must be having a wonderful time. She doesn't 
seem to see anything but men ! 

Janey. 
Heavenly! I hate Red Cross classes. All fe- 
males ! But it takes three years to get a nurse's cer- 
tificate. They're much stricter now than they were 
when your sister went over. 

Margot. 
Dorothea was over. She didn't come back. Be- 
sides, she's twenty-seven. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 5 

Janey. 
[Sadly.] The older girls are getting all the fun 
out of the war, aren't they ? What's the matter with 
the toast? 

Margot. 
It must be the margerine. You get used to it in 
time.. Have a cracker. 

[Enter Annie, the maid, a sprightly young 
person who might easily become forward, 
but doesn't. 

Annie. 
Beg pardon, Miss Margot, there's some people 
looking at the house. May I show them in here? 

Margot. 
Oh, bother! No, not in here. We must have 
some place to ourselves. Show them all the other 
rooms and tell them — oh, tell them this room is be- 
ing fumigated ! [Exit Annie. 

Janey. 
People looking at the house ? You're not going to 
sell it ? 

Margot. 

This is Allison's idea. We can't sell it because it 
belongs to all four of us together, Dorothea, 
Stephen, Allison and me, but Allison wants to 
rent it. 

Janey. 

And take a ducky little apartment for you two? 
I see. That's sensible. This house is much too big 
for you with Dorothea and Stephen away, and 
apartments are so cozy ! 



6 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Margot. 
Oh, if it were only an apartment that Allison 
wanted. But it's worse, much worse ! She wants 
to rent this house and buy a — oh, it's too awful — she 
wants to — buy a farm! 

Janey. 
A farm! Where? 

Margot. 
Oh, I don't know. Somewhere in the country. 

Janey. 
Naturally she wouldn't buy a farm on Fifth Ave- 
nue. But what does she want to do with it ? 

Margot. 
Farm it ! Oh, it's this terrible war again ! She's 
been to a lot of lectures about food conservation and 
food production and all that sort of thing, and she 
says Dorothea's nursing and Stephen's going to fight 
and it's our duty to do something, so she's going to 
buy a farm ! 

Janey. 
Good gracious ! Isn't Allison wonderful ? 

Margot. 
I don't approve at all. I don't want to have any- 
thing to do with it. I hate the whole idea. 

Janey. 
But why? I think it's splendid! What fun to 
have a little farm all your own with pigs and fresh 
eggs 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 7 

Margot. 
You don't get fresh eggs from pigs, Janey. You 
mean fresh bacon. 

Janey. 
No, I don't. I mean pigs and hens and fresh eggs 
and sweet butter and — oh, the Garringforths have a 
little farm on their place, you know, with a model 
dairy, and it's the greatest fun ! 

Margot. 
But I don't want to live on a farm ! 

Janey. 
Oh, you wouldn't have to live on it. You'd just 
go up for week-ends and give your orders and eat 
things. 

Margot. 
No, that isn't Allison's idea at all. We're to live 
on the farm and run it ourselves. 

Janey. 
But what do you know about a farm ? 

Margot. 
Nothing. But Allison says we'll learn. She says 
most farmers are very common, stupid people, and 
if they know all about it there's no reason why we 
can't learn very quickly with our expensive educa- 
tions. She's been making all sorts of inquiries. 

Janey. 
Well, I think it's delightful. I've always wanted 
to live in the country. What glorious house parties 
you can have! 



8 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

M ARGOT. 

House parties ! There won't be tiny men. They'll 
all be away at camp, and I won't even be able to 
have tea with them on their way through. 

Janey. 
[Suddenly, after a sympathetic pause.] Why 
don't you buy a farm near Yaphank? Or Platts- 
burg, or some place like that ? 

M ARGOT. 

[Struck.] That's not a bad idea, Janey. 

Janey. 

Then you wouldn't have to import any men for 
your parties [with meaning], only a girl or two. 
Besides they'd help you run the farm. They say the 
officers just have to find work for the men to do at 
those camps, so if you know just two or three nice 

officers 

Margot. 

[Cheering up.] I'll suggest that to Allison. 
Thanks, Janey. Let's see, there's Dick Potter at 

Yaphank and Billy Rogers and [E-nter Annie 

with card.] What is it, Annie — more tourists? 

Annie. 
No, Miss Margot, a gentleman to see Miss Alli- 
son. 

Margot. 
[Having read card.] Miss Allison is not at home. 

Annie. 

Miss Allison said she'd be in by five. Shall I ask 
him to wait? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 9 

Margot. 

No. Tell him Miss Allison is not at home. 

[Exit Annie. 

Janey. 
Why not have him in ? This is no season to turn 
down a perfectly good man. 

Margot. 
He's not a perfectly good man. He's a manure 
company ! 



Janey. 



A what? 



Margot. . 
[Handing her the card.} You can see for your- 
self. 

Janey. 
[Reads.] "Mr. James O'Donnell, representing 
the Boyd Fertilizer and Manure Co." Good gra- 
cious ! 

Margot. 

Allison's had heaps of callers like that lately. 

Every time I go in or out I meet a man in the hall 

who turns out to be an agricultural implement, or a 

patent hen-house, or a chemical fertilizer like this 

one. I told you Allison had been making inquiries. 

[A man's voice is heard outside saying, 

" Thank you, I'll go right in." 

Janey. 
Good Heavens, here he is ! 

[The door opens and a stout, middle-aged, 
distinguished, lazy gentleman enters. 



10 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
[Brightly.] No, it's Peter ! Hello, Peter ! When 
did you get back ? 

Peter. 
Yesterday. How are you, my dear? Good after- 
noon, Janey. [Sinking into a comfortable chair.] 
Washington is an impossible hole ! 

Janey. 
I thought Washington would be wonderful this 
year ! So many interesting men — people, I mean — 
are down there. Every one who isn't in the army is 
in Washington. 

Peter. 
You mean every one who ought to be in the army 
is in Washington. And you can't get a bed fit to 
sleep in or a meal fit to eat. 

Margot. 
Poor Peter! 

Janey. 
What were you doing down there, Mr. Weston ? 

Peter. 
Muddling the Government with my good advice. 
But tell me, Margot, what's up? The maid who let 
me in asked me if I wanted to rent the house. Do I 
look as homeless as all that? 

Margot. 
Annie's new. She didn't recognize you. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY II 

Peter. 
A young man in the hall didn't recognize me 
either. He wanted to know if I was interested in 
manure ! What kind of a game is this ? 

Margot. 
Oh, Peter, it's the war ! Allison wants to rent the 
house and buy a farm! 

Peter. 
A farm! Allison! 

[He breaks out laughing. A whistle is heard 
off stage. 

Margot. 
[Who has been pouring tea for Peter.] It's true. 
She'll tell you about it. I hear her now. Don't 
laugh, Peter, it's too awful ! [In the same desperate 

tone.] Cream or lemon ? 

« 

Peter. 
Cream, please. 

Margot. 
Oh, I forgot. There isn't any. You'll have to 
take milk. 

[Allison Marbrook enters, a radiant young 
person of twenty-three. She is sweet, in- 
nocent, impulsive, credulous and eager. 
She wears street clothes and furs. 

Allison. 
Hello! Why, Peter, how jolly! When did you 
get back ? Hello, Janey ! That tea for me, Margot ? 



12 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
No, it's for Peter, and he likes cream! You're 
late. Some toast, Peter? 

Allison. 
[Taking off her wraps.] I know. I've bought a 
farm ! 

Janey. 
Hurrah ! 

Peter. 
Bought it? 

Allison. 
Yes, this afternoon. 

Margot. 
Is it near a camp? 

Allison. 
What do you mean ? m 

Margot. 
Is it near Yaphank or Plattsburg? 

Allison. 
No, it's in Connecticut. 

Margot. 
Then I'm not going. If it had been near Yaphank 
. I might have gone. 

Peter. 
I venture to prophesy, Margot, that if there's no 
encampment near your farm at present, there will 
be one shortly after you and Allison move in. 

[Margot pours tea for Allison. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY I 3 

Allison. 
[Bursting to tell them everything.] Our farm is 
near a lake and there's a lovely view, and there's a 
little mountain right on the place 

Janey. 
How adorable! 

Peter. 
[Sardonically ] And is there any farm land? 

Allison. 
[Taking her cup. ] Heaps — acres and acres ! 

Peter. 
How many acres ? 

Allison. 
I can't remember whether he said eighty to a hun- 
dred or a hundred and eighty.' I was so excited 
when I saw it, and acres never mean anything to me. 
How big is an acre, Peter ? 

Peter. 
An acre? Well, the exact dimensions of an acre 
escape me for the moment, but 

Allison. 
There you are ! No one ever knows how big an 
acre is. It's just a figure of speech. But this farm 
looked big enough. 

M argot. 
You saw it? When? 



14 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
Last Sunday. 

Margot. 

Why didn't you take me ? 

Allison. 
I did ask you, Margot, but you wanted to go to 
Briarcliffe with Timothy Wayne. 

Margot. 
I remember. But I didn't know you were going 
to buy that farm ! 

Allison. 
Neither did I ! 

Peter. 
Haven't you been a little hasty about it, Allison ? 

Allison. 
Well, you see, Peter, I couldn't wait, because the 
agent said there was another person — party, he 
called it — looking at it, and the other party was 
very, very anxious to have it. 

Peter. 
[Sardonic] The agent said that, did he? How 
original of the agent ! 

Allison. 

But I haven't been hasty about making up my 

mind, Peter. Ask Margot. For three weeks I've 

done nothing but look up farms. [She goes to her 

desk.] Here are two drawers full of letters and 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 1 5 

prospectuses and all kinds of things about farms. 
We've been very thorough, haven't we, Margot ? 

[She begins hunting through the drawers for 
something. 

Margot. 

" Speak for yourself, John." Peter, you're not 
eating your toast. 

Peter. 
Thank you, I'm not hungry this afternoon. 

Margot. 
It's the margerine. Have a cracker. 

Peter. 
Thanks. [He takes two. 

Allison. 
I'm trying to find a picture to show you. I have 
one somewhere. 

Janey. 
[Crossing to Allison.] I think it's a splendid 
idea, Allison. I'm perfectly crazy to live in the 
country, and I think a farm would be ideal. Is 
yours white stucco with pink roses climbing all over 
it and mullioned windows? That's the kind the 
Garringforths have on their place and I adore it! 
I'm crazy to see yours ! 

Allison. 
[Handing her. a photograph,] Here it is. 

Janey. 
[Slowly, open-mouthed.} This? 



1 6 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
Yes, show it to Peter. [Janey, looking at the 
picture with incredulous eyes, crosses and hands it 
to Peter at arm's length. Peter looks at the pic- 
ture a moment in silence.] Well, what do you think 
of it, Peter? 

Peter. 
I think it's a lucky escape for the " other party." 
[Margot has risen and moves behind Peter 
so she can see the picture. 

Margot. 
Why, it's awful ! Impossible ! You couldn't live 
in a place like that. What are you thinking of, 
Allison? [She starts to tear the picture. 

Allison. 
[Stopping her.] Stop, Margot, don't tear it ! You 
have no imagination. It looks dilapidated now, I 
admit. All farmhouses do when they're old, and 
that's the only kind to get. It needs fixing but, as 
the agent said, it's much better to have the repairs 
done under your own supervision, so you can be 
sure they're what you want. 

[Margot crosses ; sits with her back to the 
others, and pretends to be absorbed in a 
newspaper. 

Peter. 
[Taking photo back.] But, Allison, granting you 
have made the thorough survey of farm property 
that these two drawers indicate, will you be good 
enough to tell me what recommended this particular 
habitation to you above all others ? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 7 

Allison. 
That's easy, Peter. It was the cheapest. 

Peter. 
[With a glance at the photograph.] I'm not sur- 
prised. 

Allison. 

You see, Peter, our main purpose in all this — I 
don't know whether Margot has told you— is econ- 
omy. Every one tells us that food and economy will 
win the war. So while Dorothea is nursing the 
wounded and Stephen is fighting, Margot and I are 
going to raise food and economize! [Margot 
makes a face.] That's why I bought this farm. It's 
ridiculously cheap and really the house is going to be 
comfortable enough when we make a few changes. 
[She perches on the arm of his chair and points out 
on the photograph as she talks.] All you have to do 
is to raise the roof, put in a few dormer windows, 
take down the outhouses, build a little ell on for 
kitchen and bathrooms, put a porch on that end, and 
maybe a terrace at the other, scrape off the wall 
paper — that is dreadful — panel the inside in white, 
and really you'll be surprised what a pretty house 
it will make. I've seen an architect about it and he 
agrees with me perfectly. 

[Janey, s'.anding behind Peter on the other 
side, has nodded approval of all Allison's 
plans. Now she goes to the table, fills her 
own cup and eats and drinks while she 
follows the ensuing conversation. 

Peter. 
I see. But, Allison, won't these " repairs," as you 
call them, be rather expensive? 



1 8 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
Yes, rather — but, then, as we're getting the farm 
so cheap we can afford to spend a little more on 
the alterations. That's reasonable, isn't it? 

Peter. 

Oh, I don't say you can't afford it, Allison. You 
could afford a nice little house in Bar Harbor if you 
wanted it, but if you prefer this, I don't see any 
reason why you shouldn't have it. Still, I must say 
that I'm disappointed you didn't consult me. You 
know I should have been appointed your guardian if 
Stephen and Dorothea hadn't happened to be of age 
when your parents died, and I can't help feel- 
ing 

Allison. 

I know, Peter dear. And I always think of you 
that way. But you see I'm of age now, and this 
was something no one could decide for me. 
Stephen didn't ask any one's advice when he enlisted, 
or Dorothea when she began nursing the wounded. 
Besides, you were in Washington, and farms don't 
keep. 

Peter. 

I don't want to seem inquisitive, Allison, but are 
you and Margot planning to live on this — er — poten- 
tial farm quite alone? 

Margot. 
[Turning for a brief second.] I'm not planning 
to live on it at all, if you want my opinion ! 

Allison. 
[Ignoring her.] No, indeed, we'll have a maid or 
two, and hired men — and friends, like *you and 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 9 

Janey, only they'll be expected to work — I warn you 
— work I 

Peter. 
Maids and hired men — and friends! H'm. I 
know it's a delicate subject with you, Allison, but — 
no — er ? 

Allison. 
Chaperon? I knew you'd come to that, Peter. 
Well, ,we've no chaperon here in town ! 

Peter. 
That's not my fault. I did my best 

Allison. 
And so did we ! How many have we had, Mar- 
got, including Aunt Evelyn and Cousin Hester? I 
can't remember. But we never sent one of them 
away. Honestly, we didn't, Peter. They all left of 
their own accord. [She pauses a moment, pen- 
sively. ] I guess they weren't very happy with us, 
though we always gave them the best room and all 
that. And if they weren't happy with us here in 
town, I'm afraid they'd be much less happy in the 
country, for they'd be thrown in on us so much 
more, with no theatres or movies or anything to take 
their minds off us. No, I'm not going to worry 
about that. I'm too old now to need a chaperon 
anyway. 

Peter. 
Oh, are you ? 

Allison. 
[Gently.] Well, I don't mean to boast, but you 
know, Peter, I have had a couple of chances to get 



20 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

married, and if I didn't take them that's nobody's 
business but my own. The point is that if I had 
taken them — or, rather, one of them — I would now 
be a chaperon myself, and the fact that I didn't take 
them doesn't prove me any the less intelligent — 
rather more so. Of course, you don't know the 
men, so you'll have to take my word about that. 
But, anyway, you see I consider myself beyond the 
chaperonable age, and as for Margot 

Margot. 
[Rises and crosses to c. defiantly.] Oh, you 
needn't bother about Margot ! Margot isn't going 
out to your horrible, dingy little farm and that's flat ! 
Whatever war work she does, she's going to do 
right here in New York City! 

Janey. 
[Slyly picking up a sugar lump.] Cheering up 
lonely soldiers on leave — eh, Margot? 

Allison. 
Now don't say that, Margot dear. I know you 
don't mean it. And I've got a perfectly splendid 
plan for you. While I'm busy seeing about the al- 
terations — repairs, I mean — on the farm, you're to 
go to Cornell and take a course in Agriculture ! 

Margot. 
[As soon as surprise permits her to speak at all.] 
Cornell?!!! Me?!!! 

Allison. 
Well, I've decided one of us ought to have some 
solid scientific knowledge, and you know, Margot 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 21 

dear, you've got much better brains than I. You 
always got better marks at school ! You really have 
the makings of a splendid student in you, Margot, 
in spite of your modesty. And you're practical too, 
and that's the sort of thing one needs on a farm. 
You never let any one see half the good things that 
are in you, Margot. I have a feeling the farm will 
bring them out. 

Margot. 
{Mollified, but still defiant.] It isn't going to 
get the chance! Anyway, I'm not going to study 
agriculture with a lot of farm hands ! 

Janey. 
[Ecstatic as usual.] Oh, I think it's a splendid 
plan. I wish I knew enough to go to a great univer- 
sity like Cornell ! Why, there must be three thou- 
sand men there, or more ! 

Margot. 
Yes, but what sort of men ! I want to go to 
France and help Dorothea. 

Allison. 
You know that's impossible and if you really want 
to help, Margot, you can be much more helpful here. 
So what's the difference? 

Peter. 
[Dryly.] The difference, my dear Allison, be- 
tween doing war work here and going to France is 
the difference between a Platonic friendship and a 
love affair. 



22 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
You don't realize, Margot, that the war has given 
a new dignity to agriculture? The farmers are just 
as important now as the soldiers. Some of our very 
best men have felt it their duty to go in for agri- 
culture. 

Janey. 
That's so. Now I think of it, I know a couple of 
boys who are going to farm. Allan Barton's one. 
Don't you know him, Margot? [Margot shakes her 
head.] Heaps of yellow hair — brushed pompadour? 
I do love men with light hair, don't you ? By Jiminy, 
I think he's at Cornell now ! 

Allison. 
The farmers are the real home guard, Margot If 
you went and studied with them, you'd be righting 
shoulder to shoulder with the great army of the 
reserve. It's really the farmers who are going to 
win the war. And they know it. Of course it's not 
as showy as going to France, but that's what makes 
it all the more heroic. I'm sure, dear, when you 
understand the real situation, you won't refuse. It's 
a sacrifice, I know, but you're not afraid to make it 
for your country, are you, Margot? 

Margot. 
[Grudgingly. ] Well, if I went, when would I 
have to go? 

Allison. 
The spring course begins in two weeks. I've the 
catalogues here. I'll go up with you and get you 
settled. Oh, Margot, you're just splendid! 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 23 

Janey. 
Two weeks! Have you any clothes? 

Margot. 
Clothes? 

Janey. 
Farm clothes, I mean. Oh, they're doing wonder- 
ful things with farm clothes now! Even Suzanne 
had a display of them in her window! Didn't you see 
it? You mustn't wear overalls, Margot, like those 
women in the Sunday supplements. You must wear 
linen breeches and puttees. They're much smarter. 
Or smocks. Oh, what delicious smocks you can 
have! 

Margot. 
[Excited at last.] I do like smocks ! When do I 
have to enrol, Allison? 

Allison. 
That's all right. I sent in your name yesterday. 

Margot. 
[Annoyed.] You did? 

Janey. 

[Absorbed with the really important aspect of the 
affair.] Have you last month's Vogue? There 
are some farm ideas in that. [Seeing magazine on 
table up stage.] There it is, isn't it? [She goes to 
table.] Come here, Margot. 

• Margot. 
[Joining her.] Allan Barton . . .? Didn't he 
go to Hotchkiss? 



24 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

[They talk together as they look through the 
magazine. Peter, who has been sitting 
back smoking a cigarette and watching the 
little scene with amusement, rises slowly. 

Peter. 
Well, I must be getting on. I should like to 
congratulate you, Allison, on your diplomacy. 

Allison. 
What do you mean, Peter? Are you being 
horrid? 

Peter. 
I wish they had you in Washington. 

Margot. 
This isn't the right number. I have it in my room. 
Come on, Janey. 

Janey. 
I'll take my things with me. [She collects them.] 
Good-bye, Allison, don't forget to invite me to the 
farm. Good-bye, Mr. Weston. 

[As they are going out through door, R., the 
maid, Annie, enters through door at back. 

Annie. 
Mr. Parcher is here, Miss Allison. 

Allison. 

Oh, how nice ! Ask him to come up. 

[Exit Annie. 

Janey. 
[Stopping abruptly.] Who's Mr. Parcher— the 
Manure Co.? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 2$ 

Margot. 

[Surprised. ] No. Don't you know Roy Parcher? 
Oh, that's true, he's been at camp ever since you 
came back to New York. But come on, he's not 
worth waiting for — he's Allison's. 

[The girls go out, l. 

Allison. 
Don't go, Peter dear. 

Peter. 
Have to. Why don't you and Margot have dinner 
with me at the Gotham ? 

' Allison. 
Oh, we can't ! We're going to Amy Wentworth's 
or I'd make you stay. It's her night for bandages. 

Peter. 
To-morrow then. I go back Thursday. 

Allison. 
We'd love to. 

Peter. 
There are some points about this farm proposi- 
tion, Allison, that 

Allison. 
{Laying a coaxing hand on his shoulder.] Please 
don't disapprove of me, Peter dear. I'm very much 
in earnest. I feel as if I couldn't face Dorothea and 
Stephen when they come back from France. if Mar- 
got and I hadn't done something. You mustn't dis- 
approve [fcoY Parchee enters, a nice-looking 



26 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

young man in the uniform of a first lieutenant.] 
Oh, hello, Roy! This is jolly! I didn't expect 
you in town till Saturday. 

Roy. 
Orders changed. How are you, Mr. Weston? 

Peter. 
Well, thanks. [With a glance at Roy's tanned 
face.] I needn't ask about yourself. Till to-mor- 
row, Allison. 

Allison. 
[Going up stage to door with him.] Good-bye, 
Peter. You can scold me all you like to-morrow. 
[Exit Peter. Allison comes down stage to Roy 
thoughtfully.] Only I guess I won't go. 

Roy. 
Go where? 

Allison. 
To dinner with Peter. He'll try to discourage me 
and there's no use letting people discourage you 
when your mind's made up, is there, Roy? 

Roy. 
I don't know what you're talking about, Allison. 

Allison. 
Oh, I've just bought a farm and Peter doesn't ap- 
prove, and he wants to spoil a perfectly good dinner 
to-morrow telling me so. 

Roy. 
You've got to dine with me to-morrow. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 2J 

Allison. 
[Brightly, relieved.] Do I ? Well, that settles it, 
doesn't it? 

Roy. 
I go back to-morrow night. 

Allison. 
Why, you've just come ! 

Roy. 
I know. They cut down our leaves to thirty-six 
hours. 

•* Allison. 
[Apprehensively.] Really! What does that 
mean, Roy? 

Roy. 
I don't know. Looks as if we might be going 
over any time now. 

Allison. 
[Impressed.] Oh, Roy! . . . Are you glad? 

Roy. 
Of course. But it brings you up short a bit, too. 

Allison. 
I know. Have you had tea ? 

Roy. 
Don't want any, thank6. 

Allison. 
Then do you mind if I work? [She moves up R. 
to take the little work table. Roy goes to her as- 



28 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

sistance. They carry it down r. in front of the 
desk.] Here, thanks. 

[She sits. Roy stands, looking down at her. 

Roy. 
It's nice to see you again, Allison. 

Allison. 
Thanks, old top, same to you. I haven't seen you 
since you were promoted. Congratulations. 

Roy. 
[Swaggering a little.] Thanks. Were you sur- 
prised ? Pretty quick work, wasn't it ? Did I write 
you what the Colonel said? He said " Parcher," he 
said, " if all the men got their promotion as quick as 
you " • 

Allison. 
[Interrupting.] Yes, you wrote me. It was 
splendid ! And you certainly look nice in uniform, 
Roy. It's awfully becoming. 

Roy. 

[Glancing at himself in the little colonial mirror 
behind Allison.] Think so? Not bad, but we 
ought to have belts. Don't you think we'd look 
better with belts, Allison? 

Allison. 
Let's see. 

[She hands him a strip of flannel. He puts 
it around his waist. 

Roy. 
What are you making with this stuff? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 29 

Allison. 
Abdominal bands. 

Roy. 

Oh! 

[He removes the belt hastily. Enter Janey, 

r., hurriedly. 

Janey. 
I beg your pardon. I think I must have left my 
bag here. I was just going when I missed it. 

[She crosses behind desk to c. and begins 
looking on settee on which her things had 
lain. 

Roy. 

Let me look ! 
( 

Allison. 

Janey, this is Roy Parcher. Margot's friend, 
Miss Wimpole, Roy. 

[They exchange smiles and " How-do-you- 
do's." 

Janey. 
I don't see it. 

Roy. 
There it is, under the desk. I'll get it for you. 
[He pulls out the little settee and drops to his knees 
beside the desk. Janey, looking down, perceives 
his hair, which is thick and golden. She gazes at 
it, fascinated. Roy, still on his knees.] Isn't this 
it? [Perceiving her gaze, he puts his hand hastily 
to his head.] I say, what's the matter? 



30 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Janey. 
[Slowly.] You ought to wear it pompadour! 
Oh, I beg your pardon ! Yes, that's it. Thanks 
awfully ! I'll run along now. Excuse me for 
butting in. Bye-bye, Allison. 

[She hurries out much embarrassed, but cast- 
ing a final glance at Roy's golden poll. 

Roy. 
[Who has risen to his feet, staring after her.] 
Well! Of all the Pretty, isn't she? 

Allison. 
Awfully, and fun too. Come sit down, Roy. 

Roy. 

[Drawing the little settee near Allison. The 

letters with which the desk is littered prompt his 

next remark.] I've enjoyed your letters heaps, 

Allison. I know my answers weren't very regular. 

Allison. 
Oh, I didn't expect you to answer regularly. I 
know you're frightfully busy. I made up my mind 
I'd write every Tuesday, rain or shine, a war pledge, 
you know. I have you down on my calendar for 
Tuesday. [She lifts the Phillips Brooks calendar 
which is hanging on the end of the desk near her 
and reads. ] " Tuesday, write Roy." 

Roy. 
It was fine of you, Al, I appreciate it. [Looking 
at the calendar in turn.] But see here, who's Bobby 
A. ? It says, " Wednesday, write Bobby A." 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 3* 

Allison. 
[Going on with her work.] Oh, that's Bobby 
Akins. He's a little navy boy. I don't even know 
him, I was just asked to " take him on " because 
he was lonesome. 

Roy. 
Well, if you don't know him, that's different, but 
I sav [looking closer at the calendar], do you know 
Arthur Garry, Thursday, and Michael F., Monday, 
and Dick Peters, Saturday? 

Allison. 
[Laughing.] Some of them. You wouldn't like 
me to write to you every day, would you, Roy? 
You'd be bored stiff. 

Roy. 

[Nervously fingering the calendar.] I don't 
know as I should. You see, Allison, I find most of 
the fellows have a girl at home— one particular girl, 
you know — whose picture they've got and all that — 
and they get a heap out of the idea. It's a sort of 
an anchor and a comfort when you're darn cold and 
uncomfortable to know there's somebody— besides 
your mother, of course, — who thinks a lot more of 
you than she does of [flinging down the calendar] — 
of Bobby A. and Michael R, and Dick Peters. 
You've been my best girl friend for so long, Allison, 
I've sort of taken things for granted, but when I 
think of going over there and— er— getting into the 
thick of things, I'd like to feel there was something 
more between us than just — [he picks up the calen- 
dar again and lets it jail] just this ! 



32 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Allison. 
Good gracious, Roy, is this a proposal? 

Roy. 
Well, I don't know as you could call it that, 
Allison. I can't very well ask you to marry me. I 
don't think a fellow has a right to ask a girl to 
marry him when he doesn't know whether he's com- 
ing back in pieces or not in the next six months, but 
what I mean to say is, I — I'd like it awfully, Allison, 
if you'd be engaged to me ! [Allison does not an- 
swer. He comes close to her.] What do you say, 
Allison? Will you? 

Allison. 
I'm thinking, Roy. [She rises and moves away.] 
This is an entirely new idea to me. I hadn't thought 
about getting engaged at the present moment. You 
see, as I've told you, I've just bought a farm and 
my mind is pretty well taken up with that. 

Roy. 
[Follozving her.] I don't see what your buying a 
farm has to do with getting engaged to me. 

Allison. 
No . . . you're quite right. I ought to have 
room in my mind for more than one thing at a time. 
Let me think, Roy. 

Roy. 
I know how you feel. I didn't think about it 
either until we got our leaves cut down, and they 
told us to go home and make our wills and put our 
affairs in order. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 33 

Allison. 

[Impressed.] Did they do that? Oh, Roy, how 
dreadful ! 

Roy. 

Yes, that brings a fellow up short, you know, and 
makes him think, and I found I was thinking more 
about you — after mother, of course — than any one 
else. This war business is a pretty serious thing, 
Allison. 

Allison. 

[Touched in her Achilles' heel] Oh, Roy, I 
wouldn't have you go over there with a wish like 
that ungratified for the world! If anything hap- 
pened to you I'd never forgive myself ! Of course 
I'll be engaged to you, Roy ! 

Roy. 
You will? 

Allison. 
I'd be a pretty poor so/t of girl if I couldn't do 
that much for you when you're going over to fight 
for me and my country ! I'm proud and happy to 
be engaged to you, Roy! ... I was going to 
write to you regularly anyway, and I don't see that 
it will take any more time to write now we're en- 
gaged, will it? 

Roy. 
But you won't go on writing to all those other 
chaps, will you? 

Allison. 
Well, I've sort of signed up for that as a patriotic 
duty. But I'll make it perfectly clear to them that 



34 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

I'm engaged to you, Roy, and of course I'll write 
longer letters to you and more. It will be lots more 
fun writing to you now ! You can say so much 
more to a person when you're engaged to them, can't 
you? 

Roy. 
[Coming dangerously close.] Can you? I never, 
was engaged before. [He takes her hands. 

Allison. 
[Holding him at arm's length and hastily making 
conversation.] Neither was I, except once for 
three days, and that was owing to a misunderstand- 
ing. Oh, well, I'll have heaps to tell you about any- 
way, Roy, what with the farm and all. 

Roy. 
Bother the farm, Allison, aren't you going to — 

er — to 

[Annie, the maid, enters providentially. 
They separate. 

Allison. 
What is it, Annie ? Oh, yes, the tray. 

Annie. 
[Collecting tea things.] There was a gentleman 
just called to see you on business, Miss Allison. I 
took the liberty of saying you were engaged. 

Allison. 
[Startled. ] Engaged ! How did ? 

Annie. 
[Tray in hand.] Mr. Weston and Miss Wimpole 
were still here. 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 35 

Allison. 

Oh, yes, quite right, Annie. And what did he 
want to see me about? 

Annie. 
[With obvious disapproval, stopping on way to 
door.] Hogs, Miss. 

Allison. 
Hogs ! How interesting ! Will he call again ? 

Annie. 
He said he would 'phone, Miss. [Exit. 

Roy. 
[Who has taken a small box out of his pocket and 
is sitting on the davenport.] I say, Allison, I 
stopped at Tiffany's on the way up and — er — got 
this. 

Allison. 

[Coming to him, excitedly.] Oh, Roy, how reck- 
less of you ! 

Roy. 
[Conscientiously.] Well, I had it charged in 
case — er — in case you didn't like it. 

• Allison. 
[Laughing.] I see! But I do like it, Roy! It's 
beautiful ! Beautiful ! 

Roy. 
The man said it was their latest war model. I'm 
glad you like it. May I put it on? [Allison gives 
him her hand. He puts on the ring, continues hold- 



36 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

ing her hand and draws her towards him.] There's 
something else, Allison 

Allison. 
[Hastily.] I know. I ought to give you some- 
thing — something I've made, oughtn't I? But I 
haven't anything. I've been so busy with the Red 

Cross Oh, there are the bands, the abdominal 

bands ! Will you take those, Roy ? They say 
they're awfully useful and I made them myself. 
[She has broken away from him and goes to 
the work table. He follows her. 

Roy. 
I don't want any bands, Allison. You know what 
I want. [The little table is between them. 

Allison. 
[At bay.] I know, Roy. [Gaily.] Come on. 
Let's get it over. 

[They kiss shyly across the little table. 
Then they separate, somewhat embarrassed. 
Margot's voice is heard outside calling, 
" Oh, Allison! is Roy still there? There's, 
a motor waiting for him." They separate 
to different sides of the room. Roy fingers 
an ornament on the chimneypiece. Mar- 
got bursts in. 

Margot. 
Hello, Roy. Did you hear? 

Roy. 
Yes. Hello, Margot. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY tf 

Allison. 
M argot, Roy and I are engaged. 

M ARGOT. 

What are you doing? 

Allison. 

[A little annoyed.] Engaged! Engaged to be 
married. 

Margot. 
[Not to be jollied. ] Ha ha ! You look it ! 

Allison. 
Don't be silly. It's true. 

Margot. 
Seriously ? 

Allison. 
Here's my ring. 

[This is proof positive. Margot rushes to 
inspect it. 

Margot. 

Oh, what a duck ! Well, aren't you the sly pair ! 
Congratulations, sweetheart! [She kisses Alli- 
son.] Congratulations, Roy! I suppose I've got 
to kiss you now you're a member of the family! 
[She jims across and gives him .a hearty hug and 
kiss in marked contrast to the one he and Allison 
have exchanged. Struck by a new thought.} 
Hurrah! I suppose you'll give up the farm idea 
now! 

Allison. 

Certainly not ! Roy goes off to-morrow, perhaps 
for good. He's another one we have to live up to. 



38 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Margot. 
Oh, bother ! Well, I found some dinky patterns ! 
I suppose you won't go to Amy Wentworth's now. 

Allison. 
Oh, I must. It's her bandage night. We'll take 
Roy with us. 

Roy. 
I can't. I have to go out to Irvington to 
Grandma's. It's her eightieth birthday. That's 
what the car is for. 

Margot. 
[Scornfully. ] Grandma's! On your engage- 
ment night ! 

Allison. 
Of course he must go. His grandmother won't 
have many more birthdays. 

Margot. 
How many more engagement nights do you think 
Roy will have? Well, it's not my business. I'll 
clear out and let you say good-bye in peace. No 
one could ever call me a gooseberry ! 

[She runs out leaving Roy and Allison 
somewhat dismayed at the program she has 
laid out for them. 

Roy. 

^ I'm awfully sorry, Al Good Lord, it's after 

six ! I was to call for mother at quarter to ! 

[The telephone rings. 



ALLISON MAKES HA V 39 

Allison. 
[Moving to answer it.] I understand perfectly, 
Roy. [In 'phone.] Yes, this is Miss Marbrook — 
Allison Marbrook. [To Roy.] Hurry right off, 
Roy. [In ' phone.] Hogs? Oh, yes, were you the 
gentleman who just called? I'm so sorry. Just a 
minute. [To Roy.] What is it, Roy? Lunch to- 
morrow? Yes, of course. Call me up. [In 
'phone.] No, thank you. I don't think I shall have 
any hogs. They're so big and ugly. Pigs? Oh, 
well, pigs are different. Just a minute. [To Roy, 
who has come very close.] Good-bye, Roy. You 
don't want to take the abdominal bands? Oh, 
they're not wrapped. I'll send them to you. [As 
he starts to kiss her.] Oh, I can't now. Very 
well. Quietly, Roy. [She covers mouthpiece with 
her hand as he kisses her cheek.] Good-bye. [Roy 
goes. In 'phone.] Yes, I think I'll have some pigs, 
little ones. [Calling.] Remember me to your 
grandmother! [In 'phone.] No, I wasn't speak- 
ing to you. No, not to you. . . . But I can't 
order any styes now. . . . Yes, I'm sure yours 
are very nice. . . . But I'd rather wait until I 
get the pigs. The styes ought to fit the pigs more 
or less, oughtn't they? Oh, you'll send me some 
pictures? That's very kind of you. I don't like to 
bother you. . . . Well, of course, if you want 
to. . . . 



THE CURTAIN HAS FALLEN AS SHE TALKS 



ACT II 

The scene is a charming white-panelled room at the 
farm. Two small bay windows with a door 
between take up most of the right wall. There 
are window-seats inside and brightly flowering 
window boxes outside. The door between is 
broad and solid, with long hand-made hinges, 
painted black. It is the main entrance to the 
house. In the opposite wall, French windows 
give on a little brick terrace, shaded by a pink 
awning. The French windozvs are curtained 
in muslin. The bay windows have rose pat- 
terned shades which are now partially drawn, 
as it is a warm summer morning, the third of 
July, to be precise. From the left back corner 
rises a small colonial staircase that takes up 
part of the back wall. Beneath this, to the 
right of the centre, is the door leading to the 
kitchen, flanked on cither side by the two halves 
of a small mahogany console table. On the 
L. down stage in front of the French windows 
is an old mahogany desk with bookcase above, 
and up stage a door lo a cupboard in which are 
shelves for china and glass and drawers for 
linen and silver. Round wicker tables and 
easy chairs, a soft green with rose patterned 
cushions, and four straight-backed rush-bot- 
tomed mahogany chairs complete the furniture 
of the room. Bozvls of flowers are on the 
tables. 

40 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 4 1 

The curtain rises on an empty stage. After a moment 
Margot and Peter come along the path outside 
the nearer bay window and enter, r. Margot 
wears a white skirt, white tennis shoes and 
stockings, a pale blue smock and a big shade 
hat. Peter is in motor togs, linen duster and 
cap. He is hot and dusty. The chauffeur, 
Stetson, follows after a moment, carrying 
Peter's bag. 

Margot. 
[ Tossing her hat on table. ] Here we are, Peter. 
How do you like it? 

Peter. 

[Sinking, as usual, into the most comfortable 
chair, and mopping his brow.] Charming — charm- 
ing. 

Margot. * 

Stetson, will you put that at the head of the 
stairs? [Stetson obeys; to Peter.] Why didn't 
you bring Janey? 

Peter. 
Her sister is bringing her. She's house hunting 
in these parts, I believe. May I have something to 
drink, Margot ? 

Margot. 
Oh, Peter, we've no alcoholic beverages ! Will 
ginger ale or lemonade do? 

Peter. 
Perfectly. A horse's neck. 



42 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
I'll get you one [she starts for kitchen door, rear], 
and Stetson must be thirsty too. 

[She goes into kitchen, leaving door open. 

Peter. 
No, Stetson likes Moxie. He can go back to that 
drug-store we passed a few miles back, can't you, 
Stetson? [Stetson has come down-stairs again. 
Peter hands him a bill and adds, low.] And get 
a bottle of Haig and Haig while you're about it, 
Stetson. 

Stetson. 
Very good, sir. [He goes, R. 

[Margot reenters carrying a bottle of ginger 
ale and a lemon. 

Margot. 

Here you are. Where's Stetson? 

[Goes to cupboard. 

Peter. 
Gone. Why must you bother ? Couldn't a maid 
have got it ? 

Margot. 
[Bringing glass, opener, etc., to table l. c] We 
have no maids. 

Peter. 
No maids ! 

Margot. 
The last left yesterday when she heard we were 
going to have company over the Fourth. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 43 

Peter. 
Great Scott — only two people 

Margot. 
[Cutting the lemon rind.] It wasn't the com- 
pany frightened her. But Allison told her it was 
to be a working house party, that the guests were 
to help, you know. Allison thought it would please 
her. She left on the spot. 

Peter. 
So you've no one? Why didn't you call us off? 

Margot. 
I suggested it, but Allison said it would be better 
to have you and Janey come and help us than to try 
to do it all alone. 

Peter. 
[Not very much pleased at the prospect.] Oh, 
did she? I have to go back to-morrow. Did I tell 
you? 

Margot. 
Don't let that bother you. We'll get some maids 
from town after the holiday. We've always had 
some one here. Allison says we are like the woman 
who kept three, one here, one coming and one going. 
Here, you open it, Peter. It always squirts on me. 

Peter. 

[Opening and pouring the ginger ale.] None for 
you? 

Margot. 
No, thanks. 



44 ALLISON MAKES HA V 

[Peter takes a long drink, after zvhieh he is 
able to pay some attention to his surround- 
ings. 

Peter. 
[Looking around.] Well, you certainly have 
done wonders. It doesn't look much like that 
photograph. 

Margot. 
I'm glad you've been away and didn't see it till it 
was all done. Allison did most of it while I was at 
Ithaca. 

Peter. 
That's so. How did you like college, Margot? 

Margot. 
Oh, the men were impossible! Still I did have 
some fun. I got the Faculty in line very quickly. 
There was a young etymologist for one, and a 
pomologist, and a 

Peter. 
Strikes me you got the gist of things very soon, 
Margot. Did you study nothing but human nature 
up there? 

Margot. 
Oh, no, I learned heaps. See all those books? 
[Pointing to bookcase.] That's my agricultural 
library. 

Peter. 

[Impressed.] Do you know what's in all of 
those ? 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 45 

Margot. 
Certainly not. That's the best part of agriculture. 
You don't have to learn anything. It's all down in 
books and indexed, so whenever you want to know 
anything, all you have to do is to look it up ! Don't 
you want to see the place, Peter ? 

Peter. 
Not just yet. We crawled these last miles. 
Your roads here are just rivers of mud. 

Margot. 
I know. We've had a solid week of rain. But 
that's good for the crops. 

Peter. 
[Smiling at her knowledge.] So I've heard tell. 
What are you raising? 

Margot. 
Oh, we put a lot of things in in May, corn and 
rye and the vegetable garden and so on. We had a 
fine farmer then. But he left. He didn't like the 
tenant house. 

Peter. 
Who have you now? 

Margot. 
No one. That's where Allison is. 

Peter. 
There ? Where ? 

Margot. 
Hunting for a hired man. We can do without 
maids, you know, but we must have a man, because 



46 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

the things are growing and you can't stop them. 
It's terrible getting labor, Peter. All those heroes 
Allison talked about so glibly have never showed 
up. The only way I can see to run a farm is to 
marry a widower with three stalwart sons ! [She 
takes up bottle.] More, Peter? [He shakes his 
head. He is laughing. ] Then I'll finish it. 

[Empties bottle into glass. 

Peter. 
But that's my glass ! 

M ARGOT. 

I know. It saves washing. We did our own 
work once before. 

Peter. 
Have you had no one since the first farmer left? 

Margot. 
Oh, yes, several hired men. But they're not 
much good, you have to tell them everything. One 
of them put the asparagus plants in upside down. 
[Collects bottle and glass, etc.] Well, I suppose it 
was partly my fault. I told him to put them in that 
way. But he ought to have known better. 

[Takes bottle, etc., into kitchen. 

Peter. 
Certainly. He hadn't been to an agricultural 
college ! 

Margot. 
[Coming in again.] Well, it's easy for you to 
laugh, Peter, but how can you tell which end of a 
plant is going to grow up and which end is going 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 47 

to grow down, when they both look exactly alike ! 
And they're so expensive, — hired men, I mean ! 
They don't seem to realize we are doing this for 
the war. They're just out for their own gain I 
You know, Peter, there was an old farmer in my 
class on farm management, and when the professor 
began talking about profits and things, he stood 
right up in class and said, " B'gosh, don't talk to me 
about farming. It's standing on the brink of hell 
throwing in checks! " And I rather think he's 
right. 

Peter. 
Aren't you discouraged rather early in the game, 
Margot? 

Margot. 
Well, I never was for it, you know. But Allison 
isn't discouraged. She says we've done heaps in a 
short time, # what with the house and the barns, — 
oh, you must come and see the barns, Peter ! 
They're dreams, all sealed and as clean as wax. 

Peter. 
They'll keep. How much live stock have you ? 

Margot. 
Well, we haven't any yet except the two farm 
horses, and we're boarding them down at Spencer's 
till we get a man. You see, animals take such a lot 
of looking after. I feed and wash Grumpy, our 
dog, and / know! Still it is a shame to have those 
lovely barns empty. We're thinking of getting a 
calf, a little one. Allison and I might be able to 
manage that between us, don't you think ? 



48 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Peter. 
A calf is so lucrative ! 

Margot. 
Besides we must get a farmer or a hired man 
soon. 

Peter. 
[Looking off l.] Do your hired men live in that 
little tenant house too ? 

Margot. 
No, in the barn. Allison had the cunningest 
rooms put in, with a bath and all. 

Peter. 
A suite of rooms with bath ! Allison didn't stint 

herself, did she? 

* 

Margot. 
Well, she said if any one on the place needed a 
bath, it was the hired man. And of course she was 
right. 

Peter. 
I don't doubt it. 

Margot. 
We've made lovely blue smocks for the men too. 
Only so far none of them would wear them. Alli- 
son has an eye for color. That's why she got a 
white collie, thought it would look so nice on the 
green. But, my goodness ! since the rain he looks 
like Mary's lamb in Pittsburgh. He's out with 
Allison now, looking for a hired man. 



# 

ALLISON MAKES HAY 49 

Peter. 
I see you're driven to hunting hired men with 
dogs. 

Margot. 
Listen! [Sound of motor.] There's Allison 
now. [She runs to window.] And she's got some 
one with her. Who is it ? 

Peter. 
I can't see at this distance. 

Margot. 
It's a man ! Hurrah ! But my goodness, Peter, 
he's an awful looking object, isn't he? 

Peter. 
Well, I'm here, and Stetson once sparred against 
Freddy Welsch. What's the brown thing coming 
up the path ? 

Margot. 
Great Heavens ! It's Grumpy ! And I washed 
him this morning ! 

Peter. 
[Opening the door.] Hello, Allison. 

Allison's Voice. 
[Off stage.] Shut the door, Peter. Don't let 
Grumpy in. He's too muddy. [Peter shuts the 
door. Allison's voice, off stage. ] No, no, 00 muth 
go to the barn, thweetest — tant turn in now — oo's too 
muddy ! 

[Allison opens the door and slips in quickly, 
shutting it behind her. She carries an 



50 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

armful of bundles which she puts on table 
up r. with Margot's hat. She wears cor- 
duroy skirt and yellow smock. 

Allison. 
Hello, Peter dear ! Where's Janey ? 

Peter. 
Coming. 

Allison. 
Well, congratulate me. I've found a hired man ! 

Margot. 
[Who has been looking moodily out of the win- 
dow.] Well, I shan't wash him, that's one sure 
thing ! 

Allison. 
All right, I will. 

Peter. 
Great Heavens, young ladies ! I admit the speci- 
men that accompanied Allison looks much in need 
of ablution, but does the task always devolve on one 
of you damsels ? 

Allison. 
Oh, she means Grumpy. I had a puncture and 
Grumpy jumped out. I couldn't stop him. But it 
was the luckiest breakdown, because that's how I 
found the hired man ! He was sitting on the road- 
side looking awfully tired and muddy, but when he 
saw me trying to jack up the car, he came and asked 
if he couldn't help. He was awfully polite and nice. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 5 1 

Not but what I would be glad of help from the wild 
man of Borneo when it comes to changing a tire. 
But he isn't from Borneo. He's French. Well, 
when he got the tire on 

Peter. 
All alone? 

Allison. 
I handed him the tools, but he knows about a 
machine, said he was a mechanic once — well, when 
he got through he seemed so nice in spite of his 
looks, that I had a wonderful inspiration. So I said 
to him, just as they do in books, " My good man, 
are you out of a job? " And he said that was just 
what he was. " Do you know anything about 
farming?" said I. He said he was brought up on 
a farm. Wasn't that lucky ! So I said, " Would 
you like to come and work for me ? " and he said 
he would be delighted! So he got in the car, I 
turned right round, we stopped at the village and 
did the errands and here we are ! He knows about 
farming and automobiles both; isn't it splendid? 

Margot. 
Sounds too good to be true. 

Peter. 

Do you usually acquire your labor in this casual 
way? 

Allison. 
We don't usually acquire it at all, Peter. That's 
the trouble. 



52 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Peter. 
Well, where is this specimen ? You'd better have 
him in and let us look him over. He sounds rather 
fishy to me. 

Allison. 
He's coming. He just took the car to the barn. 
Oh, I forgot to tell you the most exciting part — he's 
served in the French army. I told him how we were 
doing this to help win the war and he was awfully 
interested". He's got the nicest eyes ! 

Peter. 
Well, if he's a French soldier, what's he doing 
over here? 

Allison. 
Oh, he was wounded or something. 

Margot. 
Does he speak English? 

Allison. 
Very well, considering. But I talked French to 
him, too. 

Margot. 
And he understood ? He must be a marvel ! 

Allison. 

Sh! {There is a knock at the door.] Entrez! 

[Enter Jean. His age and usual appearance 

are rather difficult to gauge beneath his 

four days' grozvth of beard and the mud 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 53 

that cakes him. He wears khaki trousers, 
much the worse for zvear, tucked into 
muddy boots, a flannel shirt and soft cap. 

Jean. 
[Cap in hand.] Mademoiselle? 

Allison. 
Come in. This is Jean, Peter — Jean Duval, isn't 
it? Monsieur is a very old friend, and this is my 
sister of whom I told you. 

Jean. 
[Bowing to each in turn.] Monsieur — Mademoi- 
selle. 

Peter. 
[Eyeing him suspiciously.] Miss Marbrook tells 
me she found you sitting by the roadside. What 
were you doing there? 

Jean. 

[Whose refuge in any crisis is to pretend not to 
understand.] Pardon, Monsieur? 

Peter. 
I say, what were you doing there? 

Jean. 
I waz — er — what you call it? — lookin' for ze 
job 

Peter. 
That's an odd place to be looking for a job — on 
the roadside. 



54 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Jean. 
[Innocently.] Is it? But it came to me zere! 
You see? 

Allison. 
You don't understand, Peter. He was on his way 
to town to look for a job. [Jean nods. 

Peter. 
Where do you come from? 

Jean. 
[Making time.] Pardon, Monsieur? 

Peter. 
[Louder.] I say, where do you come from? 

Jean. 
Oh ! from la Bretagne, Monsieur. 

Peter. 
Where's that? 

Allison. 
Brittany, Peter. You've been in Brittany. Don't 
you remember the Celtic remains? Jean kn©ws 
all about them. 

Peter* 
I didn't mean that. Where have ycu just come 
from ? Were you in a place ? 

Jean. 
Mais oui, Monsieur. Ze Dr. Truesdale's place. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 55 

Peter. 
Where is that? 

Margot. 
Oh, I know where that is, about eight miles from 
here, over the hill. Don't you know, he's the man 
who did such splendid work in Servia and got 
typhus or something. Isn't that the Dr. Truesdale 
you mean, Jean? 

Jean. 
Yeas, Mademoiselle, zat is he. 

Peter. 
What did you do there? 

Jean. 
[Vaguely.] Oh, everyt'ing, Monsieur. 

Margot. 
Handy man around the place? That's just the 
sort we want. 

Jean. 
[Bowing.] Zat is me, Mademoiselle. 

Peter. 
I suppose Dr. Truesdale will give you a reference. 

Jean. 
A what, Monsieur ? 

Peter. 
[Louder.] A reference. 

Jean. 
Comprends pas, Monsieur. 



56 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Peter. 
[ Very loud. ] A reference ! A report as to your 
character and ability. 

Jean. 
Pardon, Monsieur, I have still my hearing. 

Peter. 
[Exhausted.] It doesn't seem of much value to 
you. 

Allison. 

That's enough, Peter. Jean's tired and hungry. 

I'm going to take him to the barn and show him his 

quarters. Later I can call up Dr. Truesdale on the 

telephone, can't I, Jean, and talk to him about you ? 

Jean. 
Mais si, Mademoiselle. Dr. Truesdale will be de- 
lighted to talk to you, about me, or anyt'ing. 

Allison. 
You see, Peter? 

Jean. 
I fear ze doctor is away just now. But if 
Mademoiselle will give me a few days, I will pro- 
cure ze documents in writing. 

Peter. 
[Sceptical] Huh! 

Allison. 
That will be fine. Margot, get me one of the 
smocks, will you? Jean, ou avez vous mis votre — ■ 
votre bundle? Vous comprenez? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY tf 

[Margot gets smock from lozvest drawer of 
cupboard. 

Jean. 
Si, Mademoiselle, dans l'automobile. 

Allison. 
[Taking smock.] All right. Come along. I 
want you to wear this to work in. 

Jean. 
[Looking at the garment in dismay.] Zat? 

Allison. 
Yes, I made it myself, for the workmen on the 
place. • 

Jean. 
Yourself? [He takes it reverently.] Mademoi- 
selle, I shall wear it avec ze grand plaisir ! 

[He holds the door open for her and follows 
her out. 



Peter 
call t 
count of himself? 



Well ! do you call that giving a satisfactory ac- 



M argot. 
Oh, for Heaven's sake, don't be so particular, 
Peter. You act as if hired men were just lying 
round to be picked. 

Peter. 

Picked up, you mean. Well, I shan't let you 
keep this fellow until I've had a good talk with 
Truesdale, and perhaps not then. 



58 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

M ARGOT. 

Peter, if you'd hunted for hired men as hard as 
we have, you'd welcome the Kaiser himself with 
open arms. [Sound of motor.] What's that? 
[She runs to the window.] Janey! 

[She runs out. You hear her calling off 
stage, "Hello, Janey! Go way, Grumpy, 
go way! Oh, Mrs. Bradley, how nice! I'll 
take it, Masters." Presently she reenters, 
carrying Janey's -suitcase and showing in 
Janey and her sister, Mrs. Bradley, a 
smart young matron. Both wear silk motor 
coats. 

Margot. 
Come in. You know Mr. Weston? Peter, this 
is Janey 's sister, Mrs. Bradley. 

Peter. 
[Shaking hands.] I haven't seen her since she 
wore short frocks. 

Mrs. Bradley. 
I'm still wearing them, it seems — shorter and 
shorter! [They laugh.] Oh, but this is enchant- 
ing, Margot ! It's a miracle what you've done with 
it! 

Margot. 
It is pretty, isn't it? We live here, and eat on 
the terrace. 

[She opens terrace door, revealing pale green 
iron table, chairs, etc. 

Mrs. Bradley. 
Charming! And the view! 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 59 

M ARGOT. 

{Opening kitchen door.] This is the kitchen. 
Do you want to see it? 

[M argot and Mrs. Bradley go into kitchen. 

Peter. 
Janey, are you ready for work? 

Janey. 
Of course. I wore my working clothes. [She 
takes off her wrap and appears in immaculate white 
corduroy skirt and pale green smock.] How do 
you like them? 

Peter. 
Most becoming! You know there are no serv- 
ants. 

Janey. 
Good Heavens! Who's going to cook? 

Peter. 
[Eyeing her dress.] That's what I'm wonder- 
ing! [Mrs. Bradley and M argot reenter. 

Mrs. Bradley. 
Janey, go in and look at Allison's canning kitchen. 
It's simply perfect! May I go up-stairs? 

[She and M argot go up. M argot is heard 
off stage, saying, " This is Allison's room. 
No, that's a guest room — the servants are 
in the ell," etc. Enter Allison, r. 

Allison. 
Hello, Janey ! I'm awfully glad to see you. How 
did you come out? 



60 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Janey. 
Sister brought me. She's up-stairs with Margot. 

Allison. 
Good ! Will she stay ? 

Janey. 
No, she's house hunting. [With inuendo.] I've 
just come back from Spartanburg, Allison. 

Allison. 
That's so. Did you have a good time? 

Janey. 
Gorgeous ! By the way, I saw quite a bit of your 
friend, Roy Parcher. He sent you heaps of mes- 
sages. 

Allison. 
Did he? Poor boy, he's so busy he gets hardly 
any time to write. 

Janey. 
That's funny. Seemed to me he was playing 
round an awful lot. 

[Mrs. Bradley and Margot descend t lu- 
st air case. 

Mrs. Bradley. 
Well, I think it's perfectly enchanting! How do 
you do, Allison? I'm just in rhapsodies over your 
house ! I wish I could find anything half so nice for 
myself and the children. They show me the most 
awful barns of places. Well, I must be off. Good- 
bye, Mr. Weston; good-bye, Janey. [Kisses her.] 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 6 1 

Good-bye, Allison. [At the door.] You don't want 
to rent me this house, do you ? I'd take it in a min- 
ute. 

Allison. 
[Laughing.] I'm sorry. Must you really go ? 

Mrs. Bradley. 
Must. Bye-bye. I may look in on my way home 
this afternoon if I'm anywhere near. Don't come 
out. 

Margot. 

/ will. 

[She and Mrs. Bradley go out. As usual 
Margot is heard saying, " Get away, 
Grumpy!" 

Allison. 
Well now, friends, we must get to work. I 
warned you. 

Peter. 
Janey's all ready ! 

Janey. 
What am I to do ? 

Allison. 
I think you'd better help Margot get lunch. 

Janey. 
[Disgusted.] Is that what you call farm work? 

Allison. 
[Sadly emphatic.] It certainly is, Janey. 



62 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Peter. 
And a very excellent work it is ! I only wish 
Janey had had a little more experience of it ! 

Janey. 
And what's Mr. Weston to do? 

Allison. 
I think Peter had better cultivate the garden. 

Peter. 
That sounds very intellectual. What does it 
imply ? 

Allison. 
Oh, just weeding and loosening up the ground, 
you know. It needs it terribly. 

Peter. 
Weeding? Loosening up the ground? Isn't it a 
little warm for that sort of work to-day? 

Allison. 
We can't wait for cold weather in July, Peter. 
After the rain there are heaps of weeds. 

Peter. 
You mean I'm to get down on my knees at my age 
and pull out weeds! [Janey gloats. 

Allison. 
No, I'll get you the Planet Junior. All you have 
to do is to push it down the rows. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 63 

Peter. 
A Planet Junior? I've heard of hitching one's 
wagon to a star, but this is beyond me. 

• . [Reenter Margot. 

Janey. 
Margot, Mr. Weston's going to weed the garden 
and we've got to get lunch ! 

Margot. 
I know, but there's a woman coming to wash up. 
Take these, Janey. 

[She takes packages from table, up R., and 
gives some of them to Janey. 

Allison. 
Open the back door, Margot, and keep this door 
shut. It gets the place so hot. 

Janey. 
[Wailing.] My clothes will just wilt to rags ! 

[She goes into kitchen. 

Margot. 
[At door.] Watch out for lice, in the garden, 
won't you, Peter ? 

Peter. 
Good God ! What do you mean ? 

Margot. 
Potato lice, of course. I want to know if we have 
any. [She goes. 

Peter. 
[Recovering.] Oh ! . . . What's your Gallic 
jail-bird doing, Allison? 



64 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
Jean? Oh, how can you ! He's getting "red up." 

Peter. 
What's the matter with his attacking the garden ? 

Allison. 
Oh, there's heaps for him to do. I thought you 
wanted to work, Peter. Of course, if you don't 
want to, I'll do the garden. 

Peter. 
No, indeed. I wouldn't have you weed the garden 
for worlds. / shall. 

Allison. 
Good! [Crossing to cupboard.] Here's a smock, 
Peter. Take your coat off and put it on. I'll go get 
the cultivator. I'm afraid it's all in pieces. I'll have 
to put it together for you. 

[She goes out. Peter removes coat, at- 
tempts to put on smock, hears sound of 
motor, looks out of window, hastily re- 
sumes coat, sits in chair and pretends to 
read a magazine. There is a knock at the 
door. 

Peter. 

Come in. 

[Enter Stetson with suspicious-looking 
bundle. 

Stetson. 
[After hasty look around.] Here you are, sir. 

Peter. 
Thanks, Stetson, just put it on the desk. [Stet- 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 65 

son obeys.] Oh — er — put it behind the desk, Stet- 
son. 

Stetson. 
Very good, sir. Shall I put the car up, sir ? 

Peter. 
Yes. 

Stetson. 
Any further orders, sir? 

Peter. 
No. [Stetson starts to go. A sudden idea over- 
whelms Peter as he gazes at Stetson's broad back. 
He speaks again.] Oh — er — Stetson. 

Stetson. 
[Stopping.] Yes, sir? 

Peter. 
Just a minute, Stetson. What a strong-looking 
fellow you are, Stetson ! I'm thinking you'll find it 
rather dull here. We won't do much motoring — 
and — er — no maids, you know ! 

Stetson. 
I'll be busy, sir. The mud on that car alone is 

enough to 

Peter. 
It's hardly worth while to wash it, Stetson. It 
will only get worse going back. I wouldn't waste 
time on it. 

Stetson. 
[Rather amazed.] Very well, sir. If you say so, 
sir. I thought I might try some fishing, sir. The 
streams look pretty good about here. 



66 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Peter. 
Fishing's no sport for a strong man like you, Stet- 
son. And it's not useful. You know, Stetson, these 
young ladies have started this farm to help win the 
war, raise food and all that. Delightful idea, isn't 
it ? I thought perhaps you might like to help them. 

Stetson. 
Help them? 

Peter. 
There's the garden, for instance. Did you ever 
weed a garden, Stetson ? I've heard it's rather good 
fun. Miss Allison was just asking for some one to 
weed the garden. I thought you might like to vol- 
unteer. 

Stetson. 
Weed the garden ? Me ? Are you serious ? 

Peter. 
Quite. It's only a suggestion. I'm talking to you 
as man to man, Stetson. 

Stetson. 
Then, as man. to man, sir, I consider it a mighty 
insultin' suggestion. I'd like you to remember, sir, 
I'm an expert mechanic, not an agricultural laborer. 

Peter. 
[Annoyed.] It might be well for you to extend 
your talents a bit, Stetson. In war time, you 

know 

Stetson. 
War or no war, I'll be hung if I make a bloomin' 
farmer of myself ! I'd rather enlist. 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 67 

Peter. 
I wonder you didn't enlist before, Stetson. 

Stetson. 
Well, sir, it seemed a little beneath me, but this is 
a darn sight worse ! I'd be glad if you'd take^ a 
week's notice and [impertinently] I'd like to remind 
you 

Peter. 
Don't bother to remind me of anything, Stetson. 
It's no wonder the Allies are having a hard time 
with lazy snobs like you cumbering the country ! 

Stetson. 
Lazy snob! Me, sir? And what do you call 
yourself, sir? 

Peter. 
Oh, go to the Devil ! I didn't engage you to be 
impudent ! 

Stetson. 
Or to weed any damn garden ! I suppose I may 
consider myself at liberty? 

Peter. 
You may! [Taking out wallet.] Here's your * 
money. You can go at once. Thank God, I'm not 
dependent on a chauffeur. I can run my own car. 

Stetson. 
Then perhaps you'll be so good as to run me down 
to the station. 



68 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Peter. 
[Controlling himself.] It'll do your manners good 
to walk to the station, Stetson. 

Stetson. 
[Pocketing money.] I've served you respectful 
for two years, sir, but I'd like to say that all that 
time, in the back of my head, I knew you for the fat, 
lazy skunk you 

Peter. 
Get out! [Stetson goes. Sound of a motor is 
heard. Peter opens the door.] Here! Leave that 
car alone! 

Stetson. 
[Off stage.] I'll leave it alone in your garage. 
Don't worry, old fat-head ! 

[Peter rushes out. He returns in a moment, 
hot and exhausted. The sound of the mo- 
tor dies away. Peter sinks into a chair. 
Enter Allison from terrace with the 
Planet Junior, which she leaves leaning 
against the open door. 

Allison. 
Where's your chauffeur gone? 

Peter. 
[Grimly.] To enlist! Your farm has made one 
soldier already, Allison. Count that to your credit. 

Allison. 
Isn't that splendid! Are you ready, Peter? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 69 

Peter. 
[Jumping up.] Ready? I'm eager! You don't 
think I'm lazy, do you, Allison? Bring on your 
planet or meteor or whatever it is ! 1 can't wait to 
get at it ! [He sweeps her out onto the terrace, 

[sifter a moment Jean comes to door, r., 
knocks and enters. There is a striking 
change in his appearance. Shaved, clean, 
all mud gone, zvearing the blue smock, 
Jean appears to be a slender, very good- 
looking young man, with a fine, intelligent 
face and laughing eyes. He sees the room 
is empty, goes to window, shozvs signs of 
great surprise and goes out again, making 
signs. Presently he re enters, bringing with 
him a man of about thiriy-four.in riding 
togs. The man is trying to talk and Jean 
is trying to stop him. 

Jean. 
Sh ! Sh ! Not so loud ! Not so loud ! 

The Man. 
What the deuce are you doing here ? 

Jean. 
Sh ! I implore you, sh ! 

Ttte Man. 
Where's Bob? Is he all right? 

Jean. 
Mais oui ! He has gone back to camp. 



yo ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

The Man. 
Thank God! Maybe I haven't had the devil's 
own time finding you ! 

Jean. 
But why should you try to find me ? I telephone 
ze maid you are not to trouble. To convey zat to 
you as soon as you come in. 

The Man. 
That wasn't the message I got. She told me you 
were in trouble and I was to come to you at once. 
But where, I didn't know ! I located your telephone 
message in this village, galloped over, made in- 
quiries, learned that a Frenchman answering my 
description might be up here, galloped on expecting 
to find you or Bob widi a broken leg at least, and 
now you tell me Bob's all right, and I find you look- 
ing as fit as a fiddle — my Lord ! what's that you're 
wearing ? 

Jean. 
You like it, hein ? I tink it is ver' pretty. 

The Man. 
For Heaven's sake, give an account of yourself. 

Jean. 
An account ? Well, your charming young brozzer 
conduct me on a most glorious hike. Four days and 
nights we have of ze rain and ze mud. It remind 
me of La Belle France. We lose our way. We are 
late. When we find a station your brozzer take ze 
train. He ask me to tell you. I continue ze road 
alone. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 7 1 

The Man. 
Just like Bob. Well, go on. 

Jean. 
Go on ? It is finished. 

The Man. 
Finished? What are you doing here? 

Jean. 
I take what you call ze job. 

The Man. 
Job ? What sort of a job ? 

Jean. 
[Pointing to his smock.] I work on ze farm. 
Can you not see ? 

The Man. 
Look, old chap, what's the matter? Was the 
hike too much for you? You never can tell about 
shock. It plays the queerest pranks on a man. 
Now look here, Jean, try to get this thing 
straight 

Jean. 
Non, mon cher Truesdale, suis pas fou! It is 
quite true. Why should I not take ze job to work 
on ze farm ? What was it you and ze ozzer doctors 
prescribe when I leave France wiz you ? To live out 
of doors, to take ze wholesome exercise, not to tink 
about ze war and ze past. Well, I do it ! Instead to 
trespass on your hospitality any longer I come here. 
I work. I forget ze past, I tink only of ze future, 
ze glorious future ! 



?2 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Truesdale. 
Jean, you're cracked. A French officer doesn't 
take a job as a farm hand. What does an aviator 
know about fanning" anyway? 

Jean. 
You forget. My fazzer has ze big estate en Bre- 
tagne. All ze money he make out of zc tin cans he 
spend on ze laud. It is, what you call it? — his 
hobby. I know much. Oh, I am ver' happy here. 

Truesdale. 
My dear chap, this is ridiculous. You've over- 
done. You must come back with me and 

Jean. 
Sh ! Here zev come! Say nossing, and remem- 
ber my name is Duval — Jean Duval. 

[Enter Allison from terrace. 

Allison. 
Jean, are you waiting for me? [Sees. Trues- 
dale.] Oh, I beg y<5ur pardon 

Jean. 

Mademoiselle, permit me, zis is ze Dr. Truesdale. 
Monsieur, zis is Mees Marbrook, my new, what you 
call it? — employer. [They bozv.) You know, M id 
emoiselle, T telephone Monsieur from zat little vil- 
lage where we stop. I anticipate ze need for ze 
documents to my character. Monsieur is so kind a.s 
to be riding near. He drop in. I live wiz Monsieur 
for three months. He will tell you and ze elderly 
gentleman all you want to know. N'est-ce-pas, 
Monsieur? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY J$ 

[The first vision of Allison has enlightened 
Truesdale. He looks from her to Jean 
with suppressed amusement. 

Allison. 

I'm very glad to see you, J Jr. Truesdale. We're 
rather distant neighbors, aren't we? Won't you sit 
down ? 

Truesdale. 
[Slightly embarrassed.] I just stopped in for a 
moment, Miss Marbrook. If I can be of any serv- 
ice 

[Enter M argot suddenly from kitchen. Her 
sleeves are rolled up and she wears an 
apron. The first person she catches sight 
of is Jean. 

Margot. 

Oh, Jean, how nice you look ! I wouldn't have 
believed it possible ! 

Allison. 
Margot ! This is Dr. Truesdale, for whom Jean 
used to work. My sister, Margot, Dr. Truesdale. 

Margot. 

Oh, are you the Dr. Truesdale? 

Truesdale. 
Well, I 

Jean. 
[Proud of his friend.] He is it, Mademoiselle! 



74 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
Oh, I'm so glad to meet you, Dr. Truesdale. I 
hope you'll tell us all about your adventures ! 

Allison. 
Margot, Dr. Truesdale has just stopped for a 
moment to tell us about Jean. We mustn't detain 
him. 

Margot. 
About Jean ? Well, I think Jean speaks for him- 
self now, don't you? Isn't that smock becoming! 
Jean, you're the first man we've ever been able to 
make wear it. 

Jean. 
[With a glance at Allison.] Mademoiselle has 
made it all herself. 

Truesdale. 
I understand. 

Janey's Voice. 
[From kitchen. ] Margot ! Do I put the tomatoes 
in now ? 

Margot. 
[Running to kitchen door.] Yes, and an onion. 
And don't let it burn. Keep stirring it, Janey. 

[She shuts the door. 

Allison. 
I'm sure I don't know just what I ought to ask 
you about Jean. 



ALLISON MAKES HA V 75 

Margot. 
It's Peter wants to ask the questions. Where's 
Peter? 

Allison. 
He's weeding the garden. [As Margot makes a 
move towards the door.] Oh, don't call him, Mar- 
got. He's working so hard. I never saw Peter so 
energetic before. It's miraculous what the war 
spirit can do ! 

Margot. 
Well then, we must ask the questions. But I 
think Jean ought to go out, don't you? 

Jean. 
Zere is nossing zat Monsieur can tell you of me, 
Mademoiselle, zat I am afraid to hear. 

Margot. 
What do you think, Dr. Truesdale ? 

Truesdale. 
[Who is enjoying the situation immensely.] Well, 
if Jean wants to stay and hear the worst, I say, let 
him. It may do him good. 

Margot. 
All right. You begin, Allison. 

Allison. 
Very well. Dr. Truesdale, I'd like to know if — 
[she looks at Jean] if Jean — is there anything you 
want to know, Margot? 



76 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
Of course there is. I want to know if he's honest. 

Allison. 
Margot ! That's insulting ! 

Margot. 
Well, it's not my fault if he wouldn't go out. I 
think it's very important to know that, don't you, 
Dr. Truesdale? 

Truesdale. 
I certainly do. But just what do you mean by 
honest ? 

Margot. 
Well, does he steal ? 

Allison. 
Margot ! ! 

Jean. 
Let her be, Mademoiselle, she is right. 

Truesdale. 
[Thought f ally.] Mm, no, he doesn't steal. Not 
that I know of. 

Margot. 
Is he truthful? 

Allison. 
Oh, Margot dear!!! 

Truesdale. 
Well, I could hardly call him truthful. In fact, 
he lies extremely well when he wants to. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 77 

Margot. 
There! You see? 

Jean. 
Ah, Mademoiselle, you don' understand. It is 
because I am French. I see things perhaps a little 
more extravagant zan ze Dr. Truesdale. It is to zat 
he refers. He is so literal-minded, ze doctor, so 
lacking in ze imagination — zat he cannot under- 
stand 

Truesdale. 
Oh ! Thank you, Jean ! 

Allison. 
Was that what you meant, Dr. Truesdale, his — 
er — Gallic exaggeration ? 

Truesdale. 
[Smiling.] Well, perhaps the difference in na- 
tionality has something to do with it. 

Jean. 
Zere ! You see ? 

Allison. 
I'm sure that's all we want to know, isn't it, Mar- 
got? 

Margot. 
Nonsense. Was he really in the French army, 
Dr. Truesdale, or was that statement a " Gallic ex- 
aggeration," as Allison calls it? 

Truesdale. 
No, that's true, I can guarantee that. 



78 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
And was he honorably discharged? 

Truesdale. 
He wasn't discharged at all. He's simply on leave. 
[Disparagingly.] He had a slight wound and what 
we call shock, about which he made a good deal of 
fuss, I imagine, and got off on the strength of it for 
six months. 

Allison. 
But he was a good soldier, wasn't he ? 

Truesdale. 
[Same tone.] Passable, I imagine. He's got one 
of those little bronze crosses they make such a fuss 
about, somewhere on his person. 

Allison. 
[Breathless.] A Croix de Guerre? 

Truesdale. 
Eh, huh. 

Allison. 
Jean, have you really got a Croix de Guerre? 

Jean. 
[Shrugging.] Oh, Mademoiselle, any soldier can 
get zat nowadays. It is nossing. 

Allison. 
Margot, now aren't you ashamed of asking all 
those questions? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 79 

Margot. 
Well, I didn't know he had a Croix de Guerre, 
did I ? Jean, I apologize. 

Jean. 

[ Overwhelmed. ] Mais, Mademoiselle 



Truesdale. 
Oh, there's no need to make a hero of him. You'll 
soon find out he's got his bad points. He's an un- 
grateful dog. I ran across him in a hospital in 
France, found he wanted a complete change — he 
seemed a good fellow — so I brought him over with 
me, gave him comfortable quarters and an easy 
enough life, and he left me without a minute's no- 
tice. Shabby, I call it. I don't guarantee he won't 
do the same to you. 

Margot. 
Well, we're used to that ! 

Jean. 
[To Allison.] No, no, Mademoiselle! Do not 
believe him. I promise, I — what you call it — swear, 
I never leave you unless you send me away. 

Janey's Voice. 
[From kitchen; desperately.] Margot, how long 
must I keep on stirring? 

Margot. 
[Running to kitchen door.] Oh, I forgot! 
[Opens door and calls.] Take it off now, Janey. 

[Janey comes to door, fanning herself. 



80 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Janey. 
Table set ? Good gracious ! 

Allison. 
Janey, this is Dr. Truesdale, one of our neighbors. 
[Janey looks vaguely from Jean to Truesdale.] 
Our friend, Miss Wimpole. 

Truesdale. 
How do you do ? 

Janey. 
[After waiting a second to be introduced to 
Jean.] How do you do? Have you both come for 
lunch ? 

Allison. 
[Breaking an awkward pause.] This is Jean, 
Janey, our new man. He's here for keeps. 

Jean. 
[Bowing low, not to be outdone by Truesdale.] 
Enchante, Mademoiselle. 

[Janey looks at him wonderingly. 

Truesdale. 
I must be off this minute. 

M ARGOT. 

Oh, no, please stay for lunch. We haven't heard 
a word about your adventures. 

[Jean looks worried. 

Truesdale. 
Really, Miss Marbrook, it's awfully good of you, 

but I'm afraid I'm trespassing on 

[Jean nods approval. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 8 1 

Allison. 
We'd love you to stay, Dr. Truesdale, if you only 
would. [Jean shakes his head at Truesdale. 

Truesdale. 
[Ignoring Jean's signal] Well, I only put up a 
defense for decency. I'd be delighted to stay. 

M ARGOT. 

Janey and I cooked the lunch. 

Truesdale. 
That doesn't deter me in the least. But I left my 
horse outside. I'll just put him up somewhere. 

Margot. 
Oh, Jean will take him to the stable. You 
needn't bother. 

. Truesdale. 
[Brusquely.] Blanket him well, Jean. He's 
rather warm. [To Margot.] I beg pardon. I for- 
get this chap's no longer in my service. 

Allison. 
And, Jean, will you ask Mr. Weston to come in 
from the garden ? 

Jean. 
[Moving to door r.] Oui, Mademoiselle. 

Truesdale. 
[Grinning triumphantly.] Tell him lunch is wait- 
ing! It smells delicious, doesn't it, Miss Mar- 
brook ? 



82 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

[Jean casts a furious glance at Truesdale 
and goes out. Allison watches him from 

window. 

Margot. 

Now we must hurry. [She opens door on terrace, 

revealing table, etc. Then she moves to cupboard.} 

Janey, you get the bread and things from the 

kitchen. [Janey goes. 

Truesdale. 

What can I do ? 

Margot. 
[Taking plates and doylies from cupboard.] Put 
these out on the table, will you? 

Allison. 
[At window.] Oh! 

Margot. 
What is it, Al? 

Allison. 
Oh, nothing. I'll go help Janey. 

[She goes into kitchen. 

Truesdale. 
[Returning from terrace.] More, please. 

Margot. 
[Giving him silver, glasses, etc.] You're a splen- 
did help. I'm glad the maid left. 

Truesdale. 
So am I. 

[He goes out zvhistling. Enter Peter very 
red and hot. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 83 

Margot. 
Hello, Peter, lunch is ready. 

Peter. 
[Sinking into chair.] So your young Joffre on 
horseback told me. I don't think I care for any, 
thanks. It's rather warm. 

[Janey enters from kitchen carrying tray of 
bread, water, etc., meets Truesdale com- 
ing in, who holds door open for her. They 
laugh greetings as they pass. Janey sets 
table outside. 

Margot. 
Peter, this is Dr. Truesdale. He's just given Jean 
a splendid reference. [To Truesdale.] Mr. Wes- 
ton ought to be our guardian, only he isn't. 

[Truesdale bows. 

Peter. 
[Weakly.] How de do? Get me an iced drink, 
will you, Margot? 

[Margot starts for kitchen. Truesdale 
stops her. 

Truesdale. 
I'd suggest waiting for that ice, Mr. Weston. 
There's a nice chaise longue on the terrace. Come 
out there and let Miss Marbrook give you a cup of 
tea. [Helping Peter up.] Gardening's rather stiff 
work, isn't it? 

Peter. 
[Jauntily, but leaning on Truesdale. ] Oh, no, 
nothing at all — when you get the hang of it. 



84 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

[He and Truesdale go oat on the terrace. 
Janey's voice is heard saying, " Oh, Mr. 
Weston, how hot you look!" Then she 
comes in. 

Janey. 
All ready. 

[Allison enters from kitchen, carrying tray 
of salad and cold meat. 

Allison. 
Where's Jean ? 

M ARGOT. 

What are we to do about him ? 

Allison. 
He has to have lunch too. 

Janey. 

Not with us. 

M ARGOT. 

Of course not. 

Janey. 
Well, I'm not going to wait on the hired man! 

Allison. 
You don't need to, Janey. I shall. 

Margot. 
Mrs. Spencer's coming to wash up.. Why can't 
she feed Jean? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 85 

Allison. 
[Indignant.] If Jean can fight and get wounded 
for us, I guess I can give him his lunch without 
making a fuss about it ! 

Janey. 
In the kitchen? 

Allison. 
No, here. 

Margot. 
What's the matter with the kitchen, Allison? 

Allison. 
I'm not going to ask any man with a Croix de 
Guerre to eat in the kitchen ! Here you take these 
things and go out. You two got lunch, I'm going to 
serve it. 

[Margot takes platter of meat, Janey the 
bowl of salad. 

Janey. 
[Going towards terrace.] We'll help. 

Allison. 
No, I hate every one jumping up. Some one's got 
to wait. Run along! [Janey and Margot go out 
on terrace. Truesdale is heard to say, " Did you 
cook the salad, Miss Wimpolef " and Peter, " Shut 
the door, Margot, it makes a draft." The door 
closes. Allison goes into kitchen and returns at 
once with covered vegetable dishes on tray. She 
goes out on terrace. While door is open Trues- 
dale's voice is heard saying, "And you call this a 
war lunch? " Jean enters r., and stands by door. 



86 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Allison comes in from terrace, shuts door, starts to 
kitchen, sees Jean looking at her. Their eyes meet 
for a second, then both avert their glances.] Jean. 

Jean. 
Mademoiselle. 

Allison. 
I'm going to give you luncheon here, Jean. 

[She collects magazines, etc., on console table 
to r. of kitchen door. 

Jean. 
Permit me, Mademoiselle. 

Allison. 
Oh, will you, Jean ? Take the things of! and pull 
the table out a bit. 

[While he obeys she goes to cupboard and 
returns with plate, silver, napkins, etc. 
Jean has put magazines on other table. 
Only the flowers remain. Allison puts 
her load on a chair and starts to spread 
napkin. Jean returns in time to lift 
flowers. 

Jean. 
[Moving to table down r.] Zese, zey are en- 
chanting! What you call zem in your tongue, 
Mademoiselle ? 

Allison. 
Snap dragon. They are lovely. I picked them 
this morning. 



ALLISON MAKES HA Y 8? 

Jean. 
[Stopping short.] May I put zem back? 

Allison. 
Surely. 

[He does so. Again their eyes meet for half 
a second. 

Margot's Voice. 
[From terrace.] Allison, where's the butter? 

Allison. 
Coming ! Sit down, Jean. 

[She goes into kitchen. Jean drazvs up chair 
to table, but does not sit. The table is out 
of the direct line of vision from terrace, 
and when kitchen door is open, it is practi- 
cally screened. Allison reenters from 
kitchen, carrying butter and teapot on tray 
and goes out on terrace. We hear her say, 
"But Peter isn't eating!" and Truesdale 
answers, " Sh! leave him alone." Door 
shuts. Jean sits down, looks towards ter- 
race, then at flowers on his table, smiles, 
takes one, smells it, puts it in his pocket. 
Allison reenters, carrying Jean's lunch 
on the tray, cold meat, salad, vegetables. 
Jean hurries to her. 

Jean. 
Mademoiselle ! It ees heavy ! 

Allison. 
Oh, no. [But they carry it between them and rest 
it on the table. Allison removes dishes from tray.] 



88 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

I helped you myself. I hope you don't mind. Sit 
down, Jean. 

Jean. 
Mademoiselle, you permit ? [He sits down. 

Allison. 
I'll bring you your tea with dessert. Is that the 
way you like it? 

Jean. 
Justement, Mademoiselle. 

Allison. 
Is everything all right? 

Jean. 
[Looking at her.] Parfaite. 

Allison. 
[Suddenly embarrassed.] Then I'll go. [She 
goes. /Is door opens, Margot is heard to say, 
" Come on, Allison. Vegetables getting cold." 
Jean watches her with something akin to rapture. 
Then the sound of talk and laughter outside de- 
presses him. He is about to eat when an idea strikes 
him. He rises, places a chair opposite him at table, 
bows an imaginary lady into it, sits down, smiles at 
his companion, and then begins to eat. Before using 
the salt, he passes it to his imaginary companion and 
continues the game in all its details. Listening to 
what she says, smiling and enjoying his lunch 
hugely. Presently Allison returns, carrying tray 
on which is teapot covered by cosy, cup, sugar, etc., 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 89 

and saucer of sliced fruit. She puts tray on table 
and takes Jean's plates.] Here you are, Jean. Have 
you had enough ? 

[Takes tray with soiled dishes into kitchen 
and returns at once. 

Jean. 
A too much, as you say, Mademoiselle. 

Allison. 
I'll pour your tea. They may want the pot again 
outside. [Unconsciously she sits doyn in the chair 
he has placed opposite him. A triumphant smile 
dawns on Jean's face.] Sugar? [He nods.] And 
lemon or cream? 

Jean. 
Lemon. [As Allison pours he adds, pensively.] 
What a wonderful thing is democracy, Mademoi- 
selle. 

Allison. 
What do you mean, Jean? 

*Jean. 
Zere you sit, une jeune fille du monde, waiting on 
a poor soldier like myself. Oh, it is indeed worth 
fighting for— democracy ! 

Allison. 
[Handing him his cup.] Were you in the cavalry, 
Jean? 

Jean. 
Mais non, Mademoiselle. Why you ask? . 



90 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Allison. 
You ride very well. I saw you vault on Dr. 
Truesdale's horse. 

Jean. 
Ah, you saw zat. Mille pardons, Mademoiselle! 
I could not resist. It is zat I love ze horses. I tink 
I tol' you I was brought up in ze country — on a 
farm. 

Allison. 
Yes. Our farmers don't ride so well over here. 

Jean. 
[Hastily.] In ze army I was in ze aviation, 
Mademoiselle — juste a mechanic, you know. 

Allison. 
A mechanic ? I am sure you have flown, Jean. 

Jean. 
Mademoiselle, why you say zat? 

Allison. 
I don't know. You look as if you had flown. It 
must be wonderful. 

. Jean. 
[Intensely, his eyes aglow.] It is like nossing else 
in ze world ! It is Heaven ! 

[Then suddenly he shivers. 

Allison. 
What is it, Jean? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 91 

Jean. 
It can be Hell, too. [He lifts his eyes and meets 
hers full of sympathy.] But no, I do not believe in 
ze Hell any longer. 

[Truesdale enters quietly from terrace and 
starts for kitchen. Allison and Jean are 
screened by the open door. 

Truesdale. 
[Speaking to kitchen.] Miss Marbrook, they're 
clamoring for tea. [He then perceives the two at 
the table.] Oh! 

Allison. 
[Jumping up.] I was just bringing it. 

[She takes the teapot and goes out, leaving 
the door open. 

Margot's Voice. 
[Outside.] Sh! Peter's asleep ! 

Jean. 
[Low to Truesdale. ] You were right, Monsieur, 
ze lunch was as delicious as it smelt. • 

[Janey enters, carrying a teacup from 
which she is still drinking, and eating cake. 

Janey. 
[Low.] Allison says we're to come in here and 
let Mr. Weston sleep. 

[M argot enters, carrying a tray of dishes. 

Margot. 
Sh ! we mustn't wake Peter ! He's awfully tired. 
[She starts for kitchen. Jean relieves her of 



92 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

tray and goes into kitchen with it. Mar- 
got returns on tiptoe to terrace. Allison 
enters on tiptoe from terrace, carrying tray. 

Allison. 
[In whisper.] Mrs. Spencer's coming to wash 
up. [She goes into kitchen. 

Truesdale. 
[At windozv, r., lozu.] Here's a motor driv- 
ing up. 

Janey. 
[Still eating, joins him at windozv.] Two men 
in it! 

[Margot has reentered with hands full of 
dishes. She tiptoes to window and then, 
oblivious of the sleeping Peter, lets out a 
wild yell. 

Margot. 
Oh ! ! ! It's Stephen ! Allison, here's Stephen ! 
[She puts her dishes on table and rushes out 
r. Allison runs in from kitchen. 

Allison. 
Where's Stephen? 

Janey. 
Out there ! And Roy Parcher ! 

[Allison rushes out. Janey takes her cup 
and the dishes Margot has left into the 
kitchen. Peter appears somezvhat dishev- 
eled at the terrace door. 

Peter. 
[Sleepily.] What in thunder is the row? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 93 

Truesdale. 
A gentleman called Stephen seems to be arriving. 

Peter. 

Not really! 

[He hurriedly crosses to window up R. 
Janey joins him from kitchen. Jean ap- 
pears in kitchen door. 

Jean. 

[To Truesdale, who stands by terrace door.] 
But who is Stephen? [Truesdale shrugs. 

[Stephen Marbrook enters R., complete- 
ly surrounded by sisters. Being a Mar- 
brook, he is, of course, good-looking. He 
is about twenty-nine and wears the uni- 
form of a captain in the artillery. 

Allison and Margot. 
[Together]. Stephen, how did you get here? — 
Why didn't you let us know?— Oh, it's so good to 
see you, etc. 

Stephen. 
[At last permitted to speak.] Didn't know my- 
self. Got leave unexpectedly. Hello, Janey ! How 
are you, Mr. Weston ? [Looks at Truesdale. 

Allison. 
Dr. Truesdale, my brother Stephen. _ 

[Jean disappears discreetly into kitchen. 
Roy enters and stands unnoticed at door. 

Stephen. 
Glad to know you, sir. [They shake hands. 



94 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Janey. 
Here's Mr. Parcher, Allison. 

Allison. 
Hello again, Roy. It's awfully nice to see you. 
How did you and Stephen happen to come together ? 

Roy. 

Pure luck. We met on the train. I offered to run 
him out. How are you, Allison? Mr. Weston! 
Well, Miss Wimpole, this is great ! I didn't expect 
to see you again so soon. 

Janey. 
Neither did I. How did you get leave ? 

Roy. 
I didn't. I came up to West Point on business as 
aide to General Glynn. I'm just off for the day. 

Janey. 
[Rather taking possession of him.] Dr. Trues- 
dale — Mr. Parcher. [They shake hands. 

M argot. 
Well, Janey, we've enough men nozv, haven't we? 
We'll have a real Fourth of July house party ! 

Stephen. 
Nothing doing. I have thirty-six hours' leave, 
and I've consumed nineteen of it already getting 
here. The train service is a mess. [Consulting 
wrist zvatch.] I've got to get the six o'clock back 
from New York. That means I've three-quarters 
of an hour at the most to stay. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 95 

Margot. 
Good gracious, why did you come at all ! 

Stephen. 
Well, I wanted a glimpse of you and the place, 
and I wanted particularly to talk to Allison. 

Allison. 
To me, Stephen dear? [He nods. 

. Janey. 
Well, then, we'll vamoose! 

Peter. 
I think / shall go to my room and get a little nap. 
[He quietly secures his bottle and goes up- 
stairs. 

Margot. 
[Coming to Stephen.] Am I de trop too, 
Stephen ? 

Stephen. 
[Putting an arm about her.] Just a few minutes. 
Do you mind, Kitten? 

Margot. 
.No. Come on, we'll all go for a walk. 

Truesdale. 
I think I must say good-bye, Miss Marbrook. 

Janey. 
No, you can't. We need you for a fourth. Come 
on, Roy. Margot'll show us over the place. 



96 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
[To Truesdale.] Yes — do come. I'll take you 
down by the tenant house and round the lake. 

[She gets her hat. 

Roy. 
See you later, Allison. 

Janey. 
[As they go out.] That was a slip I just made. 
I didn't mean to call you Roy, of course ! 

Roy. 
Why not ? [ They disappear. 

Margot. 
Ready, Dr. Truesdale? Au 'voir, mes enfants. 
[They go oat. Stephen has been silently 
looking around him. Allison watches 
him apprehensively. As soon as they are 
alone she speaks. 

Allison. 
Stephen dear, what is it? Anything serious? 

Stephen. 
Yes, Allison, I'm afraid it is. 

Allison. 
Is it about you? Are you going over? 

Stephen. 
No, it's about you. 

Allison. 
Me? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 97 

Stephen. 
You — and this farm. 

Allison. 
What do you mean? 

[She sits down. He leans against table near 
her. 

Stephen. 
Allison, you wrote me when you took this farm 
that you wanted to raise food and economize. I 
didn't object. I rather liked the idea. I hated to 
think of you two girls sitting idle in New York at 
this particular time. But last week I got our quar- 
terly statement from the bank. Did you get yours ? 

Allison. 
[Looking apprehensively towards the desk.] I 
think so, Stephen. I haven't opened it yet. 

Stephen. 
Then you don't know that your four months of 
economy have cost you nineteen thousand dollars. 

Allison. 
Stephen ! Not really ! 

Stephen. 
[Taking paper out of his wallet.] Here are the 
figures. I wish you'd explain them to me. I don't 
suppose you kept any accounts. 

Allison. 
I tried to at first. But there was so much to do 
and they were so confusing! It always came out 



98 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

that we had spent more than we had, which, of 
course, was absurd. How could we spend it when 
we didn't have it? 

Stephen. 
Very easily. It's often done. 

[He hands her the sheet of figures. 

Allison. 
[Taking it gingerly.] I can't understand. The 
farm seemed to me so cheap. All this land and the 
house and barns for six thousand dollars. And 
Cousin Alice pays eight thousand rent for her little 
apartment ! 

Stephen. 
In New York. On Madison Avenue. But I'm 
not complaining about that. It seems to me reason- 
able enough. The question is what have you done 
with the rest ? 

Allison. 
I don't know. We got only necessities. 

Stephen. 
H'm ! Suppose you let me see your check book, 
Allison. Do you mind? 

Allison. 
Of course not. 

[She gets the incriminating book from the 
desk. Stephen sits at table, she stands be- 
side him. Later sits on arm of his chair. 

Stephen. 
[Reading.] " Francoise, hats, Pendle, groceries," 
— we'll skip the small ones. Here we are, " David 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 99 

Stanhope" — the architect? [Allison nods.] 
Twelve hundred dollars? 

Allison. 
Mm-mm. There are a couple of others too. 

Stephen. 
To him? Oh, yes . . . David Stanhope, nine 
hundred . . . David Stanhope, eighteen hundred 
. . . Twelve hundred, nine hundred, eighteen hun- 
dred, that's thirty-eight hundred dollars ! ! 

Allison. 
Really? [Admiringly.] How quickly you add, 
Stephen ! 

Stephen. 
[Sternly.] What's that for, Allison? 

Allison. 
Everything! You should have seen this place at 
first. It was simply impossible. 

Stephen. 
No wonder it was cheap. What are all these 
checks to Brinton and Co.? One hundred . . . 
one hundred and eighty . . .- two hundred and 
twelve. 

[He makes a list of numbers on a piece of 
paper. 

Allison. 
Oh, that was Margot . . . for agricultural im- 
plements. When she came back from Cornell she 
said there was no use beginning unless we began 
right, with a proper equipment. She seemed so in- 



IOO ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

telligent about it I didn't interfere. It's wonderful 
how much Margot learned in six weeks. And they 
didn't charge her any tuition. She got it all free ! 

Stephen. 
[Still figuring.] Free perhaps, but not cheap at 
the price. Judging from this, Margot's agricultural 
education cost you in the neighborhood of two thou- 
sand dollars. What's this Davis and Co. fifteen 
hundred ? 

Allison. 
Oh, that was for the motor. We couldn't use the 
town car out here, and we had to have a motor. 

Stephen. 
Why not a horse? 

Allison. 
We're so far from anywhere it takes hours to 
drive. We got the car second-hand. It really was a 
great bargain for a Pierce- Arrow. 

Stephen. 
You might have got a Ford a little cheaper. 

Allison. 
But neither Margot nor I can run a Ford, and, of 
course, we weren't going to keep a chauffeur. 

Stephen. 
I see. What's this James Barney, seventeen 
hundred and twelve? 

Allison. 
Oh, that was an unexpected expense. That was 
for the artesian well. But we couldn't help that. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY IOI 

We found the water wasn't drinkable, so they had 
to bore. 

Stephen. 
[Really annoyed.] Why didn't you know about 
the water before you bought the place ? 

Allison. 
But how should we have known? Even the for- 
mer owner didn't know ! 

Stephen. 
[Ironic.] Oh, didn't he! Perhaps he just neg- 
lected to mention it. 

Allison. 
Oh, Stephen, of course he wouldn't have neg- 
lected anything so important. He was a nice old 
man. Do you realize you are suggesting he wanted 
deliberately to poison us ! 

Stephen. 
Well, I feel rather like poisoning him, so I don't 
see why he should have been above a similar im- 
pulse ! 

Allison. 
Of course, we could have bought bottled water, 
but in the long run that would have been just as ex- 
pensive. 

Stephen. 

It takes a pretty long run to consume seventeen 

hundred dollars' worth of bottled water. But never 

mind. The well's in now. There's no use fussing 

any more over the details. Do you realize, Allison, 



102 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

you've been living at the rate of sixty thousand a 
year? You've vised up all your income and all of 
Margot's, and as we can't touch our principal till 
Margot comes of age, which is two years off, you've 
already drawn two thousand dollars of mine. The 
upshot of it all is you've got to stop this crazy farm 
scheme and come home. 

Allison. 
Home? Where? To New York in July? And 
the house is rented. Where would we go ? 

Stephen. 
Go? Anywhere. To a hotel. The bridal suite at 
the Ritz would be cheap compared to this. But you 
can visit. Cousin Alice would be delighted to have 
you at Bar — there are a dozen places 

Allison. 
No, Stephen, I can't do that. I couldn't bear to 
visit now. We've got to stay on the" farm. 
[Stephen makes a movement.] But don't you see, 
we've bought everything now. All that was initial 
expense. Now we can be really economical. 
[Stephen laughs.] No, no, I mean it. The maids 
have gone, well, we won't get any more. We'll do 
our own work. There, do you believe me now ? 

Stephen. 
Don't be absurd, Allison. You can't do without 
servants, and you and Margot can't live here in the 
country alone. 

Allison. 
We'll have neighbors, nice farm people, and we'll 
have — a — a — hired man- -perhaps 



ALLISON MAKES HAY I03 

Stephen. 
Worse and worse. [He crosses.] It's no use, 
Allison. The money's gone and I'm thankful it's 
not more. You shut up the place. Perhaps we can 
even sell it or rent it, and you and Margot come 
back to civilization. [He looks at his watch.] Say 
you will, Allison, and let me go with a free mind. 

[Allison, though sitting still, is not taking 
it as lightly as Stephen. She is a prey to 
very real emotion. 

Allison. 
[After a pause, low.] No, Stephen, I can't do 
that. I can't. You don't understand. I realize 
I've been a fool, a silly, extravagant little fool. I 
didn't know anything about money. How should 
I ? Whenever I've wanted anything I've just gone 
and got it and had it charged. But, Stephen, I was 
serious about this, even if I did go about it so 
crazily. I wanted to do something real, and do it 
myself to help in the war. 

Stephen. 
Fm sorry, Al dear, but don't you see economy 
was what would help in the war, and you haven't 
been very economical, have you? 

Allison. 
But going away now won't help that, Stephen. 
The money's gone and visiting Cousin Alice won't 
bring it back. Oh, it would be too humiliating to 
have to go now ! And I love the place, Stephen. 
You've no idea how hard I've worked over it. I 
can't go. I'm sorry, Stephen, but [softly] I, I 
won't go. 



104 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Stephen. 
Al, I've only a few minutes. You mustn't be 
stubborn. I've thought this all out and you must 
take my word for it. Please say you'll give this 
up without my forcing you to it. 



Allison. 



Forcing me? 



Stephen. 
Well, I can, you know. After all, you haven't 
any money, not a cent, and I can refuse to let you 
go on drawing on my account. 

[Pause. Then Allison speaks softly. 

Allison. 
How much of your money have I used, Stephen ? 

Stephen. 
Oh, nothing muck now. I counted the rent of the 
town house all yours, because you were living in it. 
A few hundred dollars perhaps. 

Allison. 
Exactly, Stephen. 

Stephen. 
[Referring to the bank statement and making a 
calculation.] Exactly four hundred and thirty dol- 
lars. Of course it's nothing and I can easily man- 
age to tide you and Margot over the year, unless 
you force me to 

Allison. 
[Coming close to him.] To refuse? [She puts 
her hands on his shoulders.] You couldn't do that, 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 105 

Stephen. You may think you could, but you 
couldn't. I know my Stephen. [She kisses him.] 
But don't worry. I'm not going to force you. [He 
brightens.] And I'm not going to take any more 
of your money. 

Stephen. 
What do you mean? 

Allison. 
It's not for your sake, Stephen, because in your 
heart you're just as anxious to help me as you 
can be. I know, because I know how I'd feel if you 
were in difficulties. But I'm not going to let you 
help me, Stephen, for my own sake. Don't you 
see, for the first time in my life I've tried to do 
something real and I've made a mess of it! I'll 
never get back my self-respect unless I try to pull 
out of it somehow by myself. I'm going to stay on 
here, Stephen, at the farm. 

Stephen. 
Without money? You can't. What's your 
plan — to borrow from Dorothea? She's given 
everything she has to that French hospital. 

Allison. 
I'm not going to borrow from any one. Haven't 
I told you? 

Stephen. 
But what 

Allison. 
Oh, I'll manage. Don't you worry. 



106 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Stephen. 
Allison, what in the world 



Allison. 

Sh! 

[Enter Janey, Roy, M argot and Truesdale, 
r., and with them Mrs. Bradley. 

Janey. 
Are we butting in ? Here's Rose back again. 

Mrs. Bradley. 
Hello, Allison. [Formally.] How do you do, 
Captain ? [ Then, laughing. ] How are you, Stephen ? 

[They shake hands. 

Roy. 
If you want to get to Gotham by six, we'll have 
to crank up, Steve. 

Margot. 
Oh, what a shame! 

Janey. 
Disgusting! Must you go too, Roy? Why can't 
Rose take Stephen back? 

Mrs. Bradley. 
You forget, Janey, I'm not going near New York. 
[To Steppien.] We're at the sea, a wretched 
place! It doesn't agree with the children, but I 
guess we'll stay there, judging by the houses I've 
seen to-day. 

Allison. 
Mrs. Bradley, do you still want to rent this house? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY I07 

Mrs. Bradley. 
Indeed I do! I've been walking around with 
Margot and I like it better than ever. 

Allison. 
Well, you can have it ! [Sensation. 

Margot. 
Allison ! 

Mrs. Bradley. 
You're not serious ? 

Allison. 
Perfectly. 

Mrs. Bradley. 
You're willing to give it up? 

Allison. 
I have to. It's too expensive. 

Stephen. 
[Going to her.]. Good for you, Allison. You're 
a brick ! I know what it cost you to give in. But 
I'll go now with a peaceful mind. 

Allison. 
Will you, Stephen? That's good. 

[She kisses him. 

Janey. 
Oh, Margot, now you can come visit me! We're 
going to cruise and put in .'it all the naval stations. 



108 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

M ARGOT. 

That's so, I can. Hurrah! 

Stephen. 
We must be off. Come on, every one. 

[He goes out jubilant. M argot, Truesdale 
and Mrs. Bradley with him. Janey stops 
at door. 

Roy. 
[A little awkwardly.] I say, Allison, I haven't 
seen much of you this trip. 

Allison. 
No, we'll do better next time. 

Janey. 
[At door.] They're calling you, Roy. 

[She goes out. 

Roy. 
Coming, Al? 

Allison. 
In just a minute. 

[Roy goes. Allison stands a second alone 
on the stage, her hands pressed together. 
Margot runs in. 

Margot. 
Stephen left his coat. [She picks it up.] Alli- 
son, what does it mean? Why have you decided 
to rent the farm? 



ALLISON MAKkS HAY 109 

Allison. 



I haven't. 



Margot. 



You haven't ? 



Allison. 
Not the farm, just the house. I'm going to keep 
the farm and run it. 

Margot. 
But where will you live? 

Allison. 
In the tenant house. 

Margot. 
In that hole? What are you thinking of! I'll 
never live there, I promise you ! 

Allison. 
I shan't expect you to, Margot. You don't un- 
derstand. I've been very foolish and extravagant. 
I've spent all my money and yours too. Stephen 
wants me to give" up the farm entirely, but I simply 
can't. With the rent Mrs. Bradley will give us I 
can scrape along and pay expenses, and when 
things come ripe, they ought to bring in a little 
money. Oh, Margot, if 1 could only earn four 
hundred and thirty dollars! But it's not your re- 
sponsibility, Margot. You must go visit Janey. I 
want you to. It's only fair. Stephen will lend you 
enough for frocks and things and when you come 



1 10 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

of age and we can touch our capital, I'll pay all 
this back to you. 

M ARGOT. 

And what will you do now, live all alone in the 
tenant house? 

Allison. 
Oh, I'll have Grumpy and I'll get some country 
woman to come and help with the work — not a real 
servant, you know. 

Margot. 
It's preposterous ! 

Allison. 
[Humbly.] Perhaps it is, Margot, but I can't 
help it. 

Margot. 
I give you up ! . . . Well, when do we move 
into the hole? 

Allison. 
We? 

Margot. 
If you stay, / stay. 

Allison. 
Margot — you mean it? 

Margot. 
It's my farm just as much as it is yours, Allison. 
Think I'd go back on you for Janey, or all the naval 
stations in the world ! 



ALLISON MAKES HAY III 

Allison. 

Margot ! 

[She kisses her. The comedy draws peril- 
ously near emotional drama at this mo- 
ment. Truesdale appears at door r. 

Truesdale. 
They're waiting for you, ladies. The army is on 
the verge of departure. 

Allison. 

We're coming. 

[They hurry out, carrying Stephen's coat. 
Truesdale comes into the room. Jean 
enters cautiously from terrace. The sound 
of many voices can be heard softly from 
outside. 

Jean. 
Have zey gone ? 

Truesdale. 
Going. Sorry for you, old chap. It's all over, 
isn't it ? 

Jean. 

What iz all over ? 

Truesdale. 
Love's young dream. 

Jean. 
What you mean? 

Truesdale. 
Don't you know? She's engaged. 



1 1 2 ALLISON MA KES HA Y 

Jean. 
Who's engaged? 

Truesdale. 
Miss Allison — to the young lieutenant! 

Jean. 
Mees Allison, to zat popinjay? Impossible! 

Truesdale. 
It's true. The sister told me. 

Jean. 

[Looking out of open door.] I don' believe you, 
/ don' believe you. 

Truesdale. 
[Looking out of zvindozv.] Well, watch them say 
good-bye. That's a sure sign. There, she's saying 
good-bye now. 

Jean. 
[Intent.] To her brozzer! 

Truesdale. 
That was warm enough certainly. Here comes 
your young popinjay. Now see if I'm right ! 

Jean. 
Oh, ciel! 

[A moment of intense silence follows, both 
men looking fixedly at the group out- 
side. Then they relax. A satisfied smile 
spreads slozvly over Jean's features. 
Truesdale scratches his head, thought- 
fully. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 1 3 

Truksdale. 
Well, you know the Anglo-Saxons are a very 
restrained people ! 

[Jean does not anszver. He turns away with 
an omniscient shrug, and proceeds to light 
a cigarette as the 



CURTAIN EALLS 



ACT III 

The scene represents the kitchen of the Tenant 
House, a low studded room with nondescript 
plaster walls. The back wall, moving from R. 
to l., is broken by the door to the wood-shed, 
the sink, set in the wall, a good-sized stove, and 
a door leading into the pantry. In the centre 
of the left wall are two windozvs, and nearer 
the audience, the entrance door. Beneath the 
windozvs is a lozv, covered water-box, up be- 
yond it a table on which stands a telephone and 
a simple tea-tray. There are two doors in the 
right wall leading to the two bedrooms and be- 
tween them an old but businesslike roll-top 
desk and a small tool chest. Above the desk 
hangs a bright Liberty Loan poster. Several 
other war posters relieve the didlness of the 
walls. The windows are curtained in bright, 
cheap material. A large table stands just R. 
of center stage. Several straight chairs and 
one easy chair, all rather shabby, complete the 
furniture. Between the windows above the 
water-box hangs a tin dipper. When the -door 
to zvood-shed is open, stacked wood, and a five 
gallon can of kerosene on a wooden box can be 
seen. Through the pantry door one sees 
shelves, the lower one laden with dishes, the 
upper stocked with jellies and canned goods. 
The time is about half-past four of an after- 
noon in late September. 
114 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 1 5 

When the curtain rises Mrs. Pray, a fat little 
woman in the early thirties, is discovered at 
the stove, stirring a mixture in a large preserv- 
ing kettle. A covered canner is also on the 
stove. Mrs. Spencer, a tall, gaunt, angular 
woman around fifty, stands at the table pouring 
liquid from another preserving kettle into car- 
tons and glasses which are spread out on trays 
before her. Allison is sitting l. of table, 
putting covers on cartons and pasting labels 
on cartons and glasses. She wears a short 
print dress and. a pink housekeeper's apron. 
Her sleeves are rolled up. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
[Finishing one tray and starting another. She 
has a high, nasal voice, talks rapidly and in one 
key.] There! that's five dozen mint and three 
geranium! Guess we'll do full ten to-day. 

[Allison rises, takes saucepan of hot paraf- 
fin from stove and pours it on glasses. 

Mrs. Pray. 
And seven yesterday, that's seventeen. How 
much more do you reckon we'll make? 

[She takes a finished tray from table into 
pantry and returns to stove. All are work- 
ing quickly and without fuss. 

Allison. 
It all depends on how many orders we get. The 
jellies aren't going so well, Mrs. Pray, as the vege- 
tables and fruit. Every one seems to put up their 
own jellies. 



1 1 6 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Mrs. Spencer. 
I reckon no one's puttin' up better mint jelly 
than this. 

Mrs. Pray. 
You wuz discouraged about the vegetables too, 
Miss Marbrook, until \ou took that trip round in 
the Ford and saw the grocers personal 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Surprisin' how business lep up after you saw the 
grocers personal ! 

Allison. 
I was dreadfully frightened on that trip ! Mar- 
got and I used to sit outside for ages getting up 
courage to go into the shops, but I must say every 
one was awfully nice to us. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
I reckon mos' everybody's kind o' nice to you, 
Miss Marbrook. It's along o' the way you hev' 
with them. I alius says, kindness gits as kindness 
gives ! Take the way you started this Liberty Loan 
Club now. — I'll take the Chili sauce now, Mis' 
Pray, if you're ready. [Mrs. Pray hands her the 
second kettle, takes the empty one to sink, fills it 
with water, replaces it on stove, then helps Allison 
at table. Mrs. Spi:ncl:r dips Chili sauce into 
cartons with measuring cup.] You ain't the fust 
city lady as has talked this war to me. There's 
been plenty druv up in their own autymobiles 
preachin' economy. Economy ! to Liza Spencer, 
who's raised seven and buried five on thirty-two 
acres. I has my own notion of them folks, and I 



ALLISON MAKES HAY \\J 

will admit, Miss Marbrook, I wuz right sceptical 
that fust day you come round to watch my cannin' ! 
But land's sake ! a less assumin' bit than you wuz 
never cum out of New. York City ! 

Allison. 
[Laughing.] But I didn't know anything, Mrs. 
Spencer. How could I be assuming? 

Mrs. Spencer. 
My goodness, that's no test ! Think these fine 
ladies with their silk stockings and chauffeurs know 
anythin' about economy, yet they can talk to me who 
never wasted a pea pod as glib as 

Allison. 
Oh, don't, Mrs. Spencer! I used to be just as 
bad as that myself. 

Mrs. Pray. 
[About to carry off another tray.] Well, / says, 
I don't care if we never sell another jar of pickles 
or jelly again. It's been a real Godsend this 'ere 
Liberty Loan Club. The lonesomeness of this 
place was getting on my nerves. You know I used 
to live up to Canaan before I was married and there 
wuz a right lot of things goin' on up there. Seemed 
to me I never could get used to bein' so far from 
folks. This cannin' all together has been more like 
parties to me than anythin' I knowed since I wuz a 
girl. 

Allison. 
It has been fun, hasn't it? 



Il8 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Mrs. Spencer. 
You should hev seen his face when I laid out that 
fifty-dollar bond on the breakfast table. " Who 
died, Liza," he says, Van' lef you a fortune?" 
" No one died," sez I. " I earned that cannin' down 
to Miss Marbrook's ; we all got one." Well, he was 
that tickled ! " Guess I can quit f armin' now," he 
says, an' he chuckled till he choked over his pie. 

Allison. 
We ought to have more bonds soon if only we 
can get the jellies to sell. We've heaps of apples in 
our orchard. 

Mrs. Pray. 
Perkins' man from Springfield been round to- 
day lookin' for apples. My cousin Hetty Richards 
'phoned he was down to their place. 

Allison. 
Oh, our apples aren't good enough to sell. But 
they're fine for jelly. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Well, what we don't sell we kin use up ourselves. 
I reckon you'll be gettin' married soon, Miss Mar- 
brook, and young fellers kin always get away with 
a pile o' sweets. 

Allison. 
Married? 

Mrs. Pray, 
[Coyly.] Miss Margot told us about your 
financee, the young lieutenant. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 19 

Allison. 
Oh, did she ? But we're not going to be married 
soon. Mr. Parcher's going to war. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
I know my opinion ain't been asked, but I savs, 
if they're goin' over, marry 'em fust. No telfin' 
whether you'll get the chance later. Men folks is 
onsartin at the best and in war time— well, comin' 
from New England where men is scarce, I alius 
says, a bird in the hand is worth 

Mrs. Pray. 
[Interrupting.} 'Tain't as if you couldn't afford 
to bring up a baby decent. Now with Sally Budd's 
girl down to the cross roads, it's difT'runt. They 
ain't neither of them got a cent. But from what 
Miss Margot said about your young man 

Allison. 
[Painfully embarrassed.] Really, Mrs. Pray, we 

don't [With tremendous relief.] Oh here's 

Margot! She's frightfully late. 

[Enter Margot, l., carrying several pack- 
ages. Her hands and face are besmirched 
with grease and soot. She wears khaki 
breaches, brown shoes and puttees that 
show hard usage, a loose sleeveless leather 
vest, with big pockets, and a white shirt, 
open at the throat, and with the sleeves 
rolled up. The latent tomboy in Margot 
has come to the fore. She rejoices in her 
mascidine attire and occupation, and plays 
her role with something of a swagger and 
a good deal of recently acquired slang. 



120 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

M ARGOT. 

] Putting packages on water-box.] Hello ! Here's 
the grub. Afternoon, Mis' Spencer, afternoon, 
Mis' Pray. [They return the greeting. 

Allison. 
Good gracious, Margot ! What is the matter? 

M ARGOT. 

Carbon in the carbureter ! Just managed to get 
home. Going to blow kerosene through it. 

Allison. 
Can't Jean help you ? 

Margot. 
Oh, Jean's out with the men threshing. I'm not 
going to disturb him. I'll have it fixed in time to 
take the men to the trolley. 

[She crosses to wood-shed. 

Allison. 
Hadn't you better wash your face before you go 
out again, Margot? 

Margot. 
Oh, all right — though it's not much use unless I 
wear a gas mask ! 

[She goes into bedroom tip r., leaving door 
ajar. 

Mrs. Pray. 
Where's that purty white dog o' yourn to-day, 
Miss Margot ? 



A LL/SOA " MA KES HAY 121 

M ARGOT. 

[Coining to door, wash rag in hand.] Mrs. Pray, 

don't mention Grumpy ! He's in disgrace. He 

killed a skunk last night and left it on the door-step. 

[She disappears into bedroom, scrubbing 

vigorously, and shuts the door. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Well, now, I thought I noticed somethin' as I 
cum in ! 

[Enter Jean, l. He wears corduroy trousers, 
high boots, and a flannel shirt open at the 
throat and with sleeves rolled up. No 
hat. He is bronzed and handsome. 

J RAN. 

[Bowing to all three.] Pardon, Mesdames, I 
have come for some tools. 

Allison. • 
Is anything the matter, Jean? 

Jean. 

Nossing important, Mademoiselle. Ze engine is 
a liT fatigue. But we get on ver' well. \He 
crosses to box in front of desk and takes out saw 
and brace.] How go ze confitures? Zey smell 
delicious. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
That's the rose geranium. Don't you want to 
try some, Mister Dooval ? 

Jean. 
1 should like ii above all t'ings, Madame. 



122 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Mrs. Pray. 
[Hastily.] Here's some on this saucer, Mister 
Dooval. [She brings saucer and spoon. 

Jean. 
You are too kind, Madame! [He tastes.] But 
it is delicious! Epatant! It does you all proud! 
And zey say ze French women can cook! Bah! 
[He takes another spoonful. The two women are 
delighted.] A thousand thanks, Madame! 

[He hands back the saucer and is starting 
for the door, l., when M argot appears at 
bedroom door, r. 

Margot. 
Oh, Jean! I stopped at Dr. Truesdale's on the 
way home. He gave me some letters for you. 
Here they are. 

[She crosses to him, taking large envelope 
out of her pocket. 

Jean. 
Merci, Mademoiselle. [Going again. 

Margot. 
And there's a cable in there too. Dr. Truesdale 
was just going to 'phone you when I came in. 

Allison. 
[Startled; rises.] A cable? 

Jean. 
Oh, thank you, Mademoiselle. I will open it at 
once. [He turns at door.] Au 'voir, Madame, 
Madame. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 2 3 

[With a Utile bow to each of the visiting 
ladies, he goes out. As he passes the 
windows he is seen opening the envelope 
of letters. 

Allison. 
A cable ! What can it be ? 

Margot. 
That's what I'm wondering. You know his leave 
must be up soon now. I've counted it out. We'll 
have to learn to do without him. 

Allison. 
[Slowly.] Do without Jean . . . 

[She goes to door and stands looking out. 
Margot goes into wood-shed, and can be 
seen filling small can from big can of 
kerosene. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Ain't he the comical feller .though, with all his 
fine manners ! 

Mrs. Pray. 
[Wistfully.] I like 'em. I wish we had a little 
more of 'em in these parts. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Huh ! Can't you jes' see Amos Spencer gittin' 
up in his stockin' feet an' makin' me a bow every 
time I hands him the Mil ford Chronicle! Still, it 
ain't as if this Mister Dooval was a sissy. He says, 
Amos I mean, that your Mister Dooval gets more 
work out of the hayin' an' threshin' men than any 
one in four counties — an' he only a Frenchy ! 



1 24 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Allison. 
[Turning.] Oh, you mustn't talk like that about 
the French, Mrs. Spencer! 

Mrs. Spencer. 
[Who has been washing dishes, etc., at sink.] 
Well, I know, but it's kind o' hard to think o' those 
little foreign fellers amountin' to so much, ain't it ? 

[Telephone rings. 

Mrs. Pray. 

I'm up, I'll go. [She takes up 'phone.] Hello . . . 
yes . . . Oh, Mis' Spencer, it's your girl, 
Tabitha. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
[Busy at sink.] Well, what does she want? 

Mrs. Pray. 
Your ma says what is it you want? . . . Oh 
. . . Mis' Spencer, she says you f ergot your 
teeth. Shall she fetch 'em down ? 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Now what ails the girl ! Tell her I don't need 
my teeth to taste Chili sauce with. 

Mrs. Pray. 
[Into 'phone.] Your ma says she don't need 
'em, Tabitha. [She rings off. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
[A little annoyed.] I left 'em home a' purpose. 
They're a new set an' I don't like to wear 'em out 
on talkin' ! There, I reckon this kettle is clean. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY I 25 

I'd leave the other scaldin' till morning if I wuz 

you, Miss Marbrook. 

[By this time the glasses, etc., are all covered 
and labelled and Mrs. Pray and Allison 
have carried them to the pantry. Mrs. 
Spencer has washed up all the used dishes 
and utensils. M argot reenters from the 
wood-shed, carrying gallon can of kerosene, 
to find Janey standing in doorway l. 
Janey zvears a charming frock and hat 
and carries a frivolous parasol. 

M ARGOT. 

Hello! Where did you come from? 



Allison. 



Janey ! 



Janey. 
I came down from Lenox this afternoon. I've 
been staying with the Waltons. I'm going to spend 
the week-end with sister. She's having company. 

Margot. 
Who? 

Janey. 
I'm not to tell you. It's a surprise. 

Allison. 
Mrs. Spencer, this is our friend Miss Wimpole. 
Mrs. Pray, Miss Wimpole. 

Janey. 
How de do? 



120 Al.IJSUA MAKES HAY 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Pleased to meet you. Kind o' warm for Septem- 
ber, ain't it ? 

[Mrs. Pray bows and murmurs "How de do." 

Janey. 
There's a most frightful smell outside, Allison. 
I can't imagine what 

Margot. 
[Whose scorn for Janey's idle and luxurious 
appearance is boundless. \ You haven't got much 
imagination, then. It's a skunk. [At Janey's hor- 
ror-struck start, she adds siveetly.] A pet one. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
[Taking off her apron.] Guess we'll be gettin' 
on now, Miss Marbrpok. 

Allison. 
Won't you stay and have tea? [Glancing at 
tray. ] It's all ready. 

Mrs. SpeNcf.r. 
[With native tact.] Not to-day, thanks. To- 
morrow bein' Fair day and we goin' off early, I've 
got a bit of extry bakin' to do. 

Mrs. Pray. 
So've I. 

[They get their hats from Allison's bed- 
room, down r. Allison goes into pantry. 

Janey. 

[Sitting. To Margot.] What are you going to 
do with that? 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 127 

M ARGOT. 

Blow the carbon out of the Ford. [With a sig- 
nificant glance at her frock.} You can come help. 
[Allison reenters with plate on which is 
something covered with oiled paper, and 
meets the women coming out of the bed- 
room. 

Allison. 
Here are some little pats of sweet butter for the 
children, Mrs. Pray. I made some for Mrs. Brad- 
ley's youngsters and they loved them. 

Mrs. Pray. 
•Oh, Miss Marbrook ! [She lifts paper. 

Mrs. Spencer. 
Well, now, ain't those cute ? Where'd you get the 
fancy moulds? 

Allison 
Mr. Duval whittled them for me. Would you 
like to have some, Mrs. Spencer? I've more down 
cellar. I'll get them for you. [She goes out. 

Margot. 
[Coming forward.] Oh, Mrs. Pray, you must 
bring the children up soon. Our pigs had kittens 
yesterday. [They laugh.] Oh, you know what I 
mean — and they're awfully cunning. 

[The two women go out laughing. 

Janey. 
Well, you certainly look busy. What have you 
been doing with those women ? 



128 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Margot. 
Jelly. That's Allison's Liberty Loan Club. They 
can twice a week and sell the stuff all around. See 
the label. [She gets a carton from table up l.] 
Allison designed it. 

Janey. 
[Reading.] " Liberty Loan Brand, put up by the 
Housewives' Association of East Corners, Con- 
necticut." Why, I saw a jar with that label at the 
Waltons'. Isn't that surprising? 

Margot. 
Not very. We got the social register and wrote 
letters to every likely person within a hundred miles, 
it seems to me. And we called personally on the 
grocers. In business, Janey, there's nothing so im- 
portant as personality. Allison's personality is our 
most valuable business asset. Mine's too blunt. 
But I'm learning. 

Janey. 
Good gracious, Margot, do you like doing all these 
things ? 

Margot. 
Like it ? I love it. Never had such a great sum- 
mer in my life! 

Janey. 
But sister says there aren't any men here except 
that Dr. Truesdale. 

Margot. 
Did she tell you what he's doing — turning his 
big house into a hospital? It's to be for cases of 



ALLISON MAKES HAY I 29 

shock — that's his specialty, you know, and he's to 
be in charge. Isn't it splendid ! 

Janey. 
[Slyly.] Oh, that's the way the wind blows! 

M argot. 
Nonsense. I'm not a bit interested in that sort 
of mush any more, Janey. I believe in the economic 
independence of women. This war is going to make 
a great difference in our position, Dr. Truesdale 
says, and thank goodness I know it in time to take 
advantage of it ! Dr. Truesdale and I are awfully 
good pals, and I'm going to help .him with the 
hospital and all that. But nothing squashy. 

Janey. 
Goodness, Margot, you've changed! [Reenter 
Allison] Oh, Allison, Rose sent me for some 
vegetables and she wants you and Margot to come 
to dinner to-night to meet — I'm not to tell who ! 

Margot. 
Drat it, will we have* to dress ? 

Allison. 
Of course, Margot, and it will do you good. 
What sort of vegetables, Janey? It's late, you 
know; we've only corn and beets and tomatoes. 
[She gets basket.] We'll go out and you can choose 
for yourself. 

Margot. 
[Taking basket.] I'll do it. Come on, Janey. 
[She swings out, basket in one hand, oil can 
in the other. 



I 30 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Janey. 
[At door.] Allison, have you heard from Roy 
lately ? 

Allison. 
Not since he was transferred to Camp Upton. 
Why? 

Janey. 
Oh, nothing special. I just asked. 

Allison. 
Good gracious, it's Friday and Tuesday was my 
letter day ! I'll write a line now and Margot can 
take it down when she goes. See you later, Janey. 
[Exit Janey. Allison straightens kitchen 
table, goes to pantry door, is seen to .be 
counting something, goes to desk, makes 
entry in ledger and sighs. Reenter Mar- 
got. 

Margot. 
Forgot the trowel. [Crosses to wood-shed and 
reaches through door for trowel.] What's the mat- 
ter, Al? You're not doing nnore accounts! I saw 
you at it this morning before I was up. 

Allison. 
I wanted to see where we stood before the first. 
And we're still fifty dollars short on that four 
hundred and thirty of Stephen's, Margot, even with 
the rye and the potatoes. I'd been counting on the 
jellies, but orders are terribly slow coming in. 

Margot. 
Great Scot, Al, did k ever occur to you before 
this summer how hard it is to make fifty dollars ! 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 3 1 

Allison. 
I know, and it's so easy to spend it ! 

M ARGOT. 

When I think of the way I used to buy hats just 
for the fun of buying 'em, my blood runs cold ! 
Well, I must be off. Janey's picking corn in that 
frock ! 

[She goes. Allison takes out note-paper 
and begins to write. 

Allison. 
[Writing.] "My dear Roy" . . . [Stops 
to think and reads.] "My dear Roy" . . . 
" My dear Roy ... I didn't write before be- 
cause there wasn't anything much to tell you. . . ." 
[There is a knock at door.] Come! 

[Door opens. A big, hot, cross-looking man 
in shirt sleeves stands there. 

The Man. 
[Crossly.] Got any apples? 

Allison. 
Apples? Won't you come in? 

The Man. 
No time to set. I'm from Perkins, Springfield. 
I'm payin' one seventy-five fer Class A, Greenin's, 
Spyes, or Spitz. 

Allison. 
I'm so sorry. We haven't any Class A. All our 
apples have something the matter with them. Don't 
you want any potatoes ? We've the nicest potatoes. 



132 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

i 

The Man. 
Full lip on 'tates. I'll be goin' then. 

Allison. 

Wait a minute. Doesn't Perkins carry preserves ? 
We've some delicious 



The Man. 
Nothin' doin'. I haven't got no breath to waste 
on fancy stuff. Done more'n a day's work as 

'tis [Seeing dipper.] I'll take a dipper of 

water if you've no objection. [Opens water-box. 

Allison. 
You do look tired. Let me give you a nice cup of 
hot tea. It won't take a second. 

[While he is drinking she takes kettle from 
stove and pours it into teapot on tray up l. 

The Man. 
[Throzving dregs of water from dipper out-of- 
doors.] No, thanks, this'll do for me. 

Allison. 
[Coming to c. table with tea-tray.] It's all ready 
and I've some delicious fresh bread, baked this 
morning. # 

The Man. 
Fresh bakin' ! Gosh, I do feel kinder holler. 

Allison. 
[Pulling up chair.] Sit down. It isn't late. I 
was just going to have tea myself. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 33 

The Man. 
[Looking at her with seeing eyes for the first 
time.] Wuz you? Ain't seen you before, hev I? 
By crickets, be you one o' them two crazy city girls 
I heard tell on ? 

Allison. 
[Laughing as she cuts bread.] I may have been 
once, but I'm a country girl now — and " tumble 
smart." 

The Man. 
I don't doubt it. Nuthin' the matter with this 
bread and butter. 

Allison. 
Oh, yes, there is. It needs some of this jam on it. 
[She helps hint copiously from the carton, 
then pours tea for herself. 

The Man. 
[After a moment in which he has been eating 
voraciously.] Gosh, I wuz hungry! Come to think 
of it, I haven't had a morsel but cold apple since 
eleven o'clock. I'll trouble you for some more of 
that sweet. Tastes good to me. What is it? 

Allison. 
[Helping him.] That's quince jam. We put it 
up here and lots of other things too. We call it the 
Liberty Loan Brand because we buy Liberty Bonds 
with the proceeds. .See? 

[She shozvs him the label on the carton. 

The Man. 
[Reading.] Well, now, that's a right cute label. 
Ousrht to be a srood seller, ain't it ? 



1 34 ALLISON MAKES HA Y 

Allison. 
It is when it gets started. But we're new and 
it's hard to break in — it takes business men with 

imagination — like you — to appreciate it 

[She* fills his cup. 

The Man. 

[His mouth full.] I'm not surprised. What else 
do you make ? 

Allison. 
[Getting a couple more cartons.] Well, we've 
some delicious mint jelly and rose geranium we're 
very proud of. Won't you try them, Mr. er — 1 
don't know your name. 

The Man. 
[Sampling everything.] My name's Pete — Pete 
Cobb. 

Allison. 
No! Really? I've an awfully good friend 
called Peter. Do you know you remind me of him. 

[Peter would be pleased. 

Pete Cobb. 
Do I ? Well, I reckon that means we're going to 
be friends too. I certainly am obliged to you — I'd 
no idea how hungry I was, Miss er 

Allison. 
Marbrook — Allison Marbrook. 

Pete Cobb. 
[Finishing up samples.] I say, Miss Marbrook, 
would you like me to take a line of your things to 



ALLISON MAKES HAY . 1 35 

Perkins — on* commission? We've a pretty high 
class trade, you know. 

Allison. 
Oh, Mr. Cobb ! I should love it ! I've a case of 
samples all packed we were going to send to 
Lenox 

Pete Cobb. 
Lenox! Bosh! Lenox don't do half the trade 
we do. If your stuff goes well at Perkins', you'll 
have all you can do to keep us supplied. I'll look 
in whenever I happen to be in these parts and tell 
you how they're gettin' on. 
• 

Allison. 

[Going to door with him.] Oh, that is nice of 
you. The box is in the cellar. I hope it won't be 
too heavy. 

Pete Cobb. 
[Going out with her.] Heavy! I kin carry a 
barrel o' apples on one arm. Now as fer business, 
we pays a small amount down an" gits ten per 

cent 

[They go off. After a moment the sound of 
a heavy motor getting started is heard. 
Then Allison returns, puts tea-tray on 
shelf by sink, goes to desk, sits down be- 
fore her letter and begins to write again. 
Jean enters from wood-shed, carrying 
some blades in one hand and a covered pail 
of milk in the other. 

Allison. 
Oh . . . Jean. 



136 - ALLISON MAKES HAY 

[Jean crosses, puts milk can on table up L. 
and takes down dipper. 

Jean. 
Mademoiselle Margot has jits' taken ze men down. 
They hav' work well. Ze grain is good, Mademoi- 
selle. It will bring ze price. [He drinks. 

Allison. 
Oh, I'm so glad and I've just sold a case of sam- 
ples to Perkins' man. That's a splendid opening. 
I guess we'll come out all right now about the 
money we owe Stephen. 

Jean. # 

I congratulate you, Mademoiselle. It is a great 

deal to do what one sets out to do. But you don' 
seem overjoyed. 

Allison. 

[Dully.] Oh, I am, I am. Of course we couldn't 
have done, anything without you, Jean. ... I 
beg your pardon, but your cable — was it about your 
leave ? 

Jean. 
Yes, Mademoiselle. 

' Allison. 
Will you have to go back, Jean? 

Jean. 
Yes, Mademoiselle. It is about zat I would talk. 
But you are busy. 

Allison. 
Oh, I was just writing a letter 



ALU SO. X MAKES HAY I 37 

Jean. 
[Approaching her.] Finish, Mademoiselle. It is 
business? Can I be of any assistance? 

Allison. 
No, it's not business. It's just to Mr. Parcher. 

Jean. 
[Going back.] Oh, your fiance — pardon, Mad- 
emoiselle ! 

[He gets cloth from near sink and proceeds 
to wipe off blades, studying Allison's 
back with a puzzled, worried expression. 

Allison. 
[After some hesitation, writes one more sen- 
tence.] There doesn't seem much to say. Per- 
haps you can be of help, Jean. You've been at 
camp. What sort of things do men most like to 
hear about at camp — from a farm, you know? I 
think I've written all the news, but it sounds dull. 

Jean. 
[Seriously, but suppressing a smile.] Let me 
tink. I hav' never receive a letter from a farm, 
but I should imagine there would be a great deal 
that a farm could say. If Mademoiselle would 
care to read me what she has already written per- 
haps I could suggest 

Allison. 
All right. [She reads. ] " My dear Roy, I didn't 
write before because there wasn't anything much 
to tell you. Everything is going well at the farm. 



138 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

We harvested the rye last week, or rather Jean did, 
with M argot and me looking on. To-day he and 
the men are threshing it in the barn. Harvesting 
is very picturesque work. Margot and I have been 
very busy over our jellies. I hope you liked the 
samples I sent. Dorothea is coming home this 
October. Isn't that splendid? Stephen has been 
ordered to Chillicothe to teach. You will be glad 
to hear that Jean has just said our rye came out 
in fine condition." There ! that's all so far ! 

Jean. 
[Thoughtfully.] Well, I mus' admit, Mademoi- 
selle, if I wuz at camp it is not exactly ze sort of 
letter I should care to receive from ze young lady 
to whom I had ze honor to be betrothed. 

Allison. 
[Hastily.] Oh, Roy just likes newsy letters, you 
know. 

Jean. 
So do we all, Mademoiselle, but zere is news an* 
news! Speaking for myself, if I were in Mr. 
Parcher's position, ze news of ze rye would not 

interest me quite so much az ze news of 

[He hesitates. 

Allison. 
Of what? 

Jean. 
[Putting down tools.] Of yourself, Mademoi- 
selle. Of what you are doing, and tinking and 
feeling. 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 1 39 

Allison. 
But I did write him what I was doing — the jellies, 
you know — and as for the rest — I — oh, I never 
could put that sort of thing in a letter. I don't 
know how. 

Jean. 
[Coming towards her.] Perhaps, zen, I could 
help you, Mademoiselle. 

Allison. 
You? 

Jean. 
[Sitting on corner of big table near her.] You 
know ze people of my nation are noted for zere 
ability to express ze feelings. It is not zat we have 
make a study of it, Mademoiselle. It is zat when 
we feel, it is natural for us to speak. We are so 
proud, so happy ! Not like ze English who seem 

always a little ashame Now, were I in your 

position, Mademoiselle, it would be so simple for 
me to write ze letter to my betrothed. [He comes 
behind her.) I should say jus' [softly], " Mon 
tres cher," — it goes easier in ze French I admit, but 
if we mus' use ze English, well — " My ver' dear." 
You will write it, Mademoiselle? [Allison, bent 
low over the desk, picks up her pen and makes an at- 
tempt to write, which soon comes to an end. Jean's 
voice becomes tense with emotion as he goes on.] 
" My ver' dear, zere is nossing to tell you excep' zat 
I love you, an' zat I know you love me. Every day it 
grows bigger, our love, an' richer. It is ze great 
harvest we reap from ze little farm. I cannot bear 
to tink Of your going away across ze water so soon, 
but if you mus' go" — shall I go on, Mademoiselle? 



140 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
[Very low; her face hidden.] Go on. 

Jean. 
[J'ery close behind her.] "'If you mus' go, let us 
at least be made one before ze world, as we are now 
in spirit. You have not ask me in so many words to 
be your wife, but I know it is ze dearest wish of 
your heart. And what is your wish mus' be my wish 
also. For are you not my beloved ? " [ There is a 
moment's pause.] Zat is all, Mademoiselle, excep' 

to finish wiz 

[His arms are about her, his face very close 
to hers. Allison lifts her face, smiling 
through tears. 

Allison. 
With what? 

Jean. 
Wiz zis ! [He kisses her upon the lips. She 
yields. He lifts her in his arms and kisses her 
again and again, passionately.] Ma belle — ma mie 
— mon amour ! 

Allison. 
Jean — Jean ! [She withdraws from him, holding 
his hands in hers. They stand looking at each other 
with parted lips and the dawning of new worlds in 
their eyes. There is a knock at the door. They 
separate. Allison, softly. ] Come in. [Enter Roy 
Parcher. ] Roy ! 

Roy. 
Hello! Are you surprised to see me, Allison? 
[Looking at Jean.] Oh, who?' 



ALLISON MAKES HAY 141 

Allison. • 
Roy — this is Jean Duval. He 

Roy. 
Oh, I know — your Frenchman. [He nods.] But 
I want to see you alone, Allison. 

Jean. 
[Stepping forward.] Mademoiselle, if you will 

permit — I 

Allison. 
No, no, Jean, please. I want to speak to Mr. 
Parcher too. Do you mind leaving us? Please, 
Jean ! 

Jean. 
As you say, Mademoiselle. Au revoir, Mon- 
sieur. 

[He bows punctiliously to Roy, who is ex- 
amining the milk pail with a certain nerv- 
ous curiosity, and goes out. 

Roy. 
Lots of formality, isn't there? I suppose that's 
the French of it. You haven't asked me what I'm 
doing here? 

Allison. 
I'm waiting. Sit down, Roy. 

Roy. 
Well, Mrs. Bradley asked me up. 

Allison. 
Mrs. Bradley. Oh [zvith meaning for herself] 
T see. Plow awfullv nice ! 



142 ALLISON MAKFS HAY 

■ Roy. 
I suppose she knew you didn't have room. Beinf 
at Upton, it's not so hard to get here now. 

. . Allison. 
That's true. Why were you transferred, Roy ? 

Roy. 
Reckon it means we're ready to go over. The 
Upton men are going out pretty fast now. That'i 
what I wanted to talk to you about, Allison. 

Allison. 
What do you mean, Roy? 

Roy. 
Well, getting into Upton brings a feller up pretty 
short, you know — an' makes him think an' 

Allison. 

Yes? 

Roy. 
Oh, Al, I hate to be brutal about it, but this war 
business is a mighty serious thing, and I feel I ought 
to be frank with you at all costs, and — well, the fact 
is, I found I wasn't thinkin' as much about you, Al, 
as I — er — ought to be thinking, under the circum- 
stances. 

Allison. 
[Softly.] Who were you thinking about, Roy — 
your mother ? Or Janey ? 

Roy. 
[Wondering.] Allison — how did you — know? 



ALLISON MAKES HA^ 1 43 

Allison. 
I guessed. Have you said anything to Janey ? 

Roy. 
[Indignant.] Said anything? Wasn't I engaged 
to you? Do you think I'd make love to another girl 
any more than you'd let another man propose to 
you ? 

Allison. 

No, no ! Of course not ! . . . Well, the only 

thing for us to do is to break our engagement at 

once. You go and find Janey right off. She only 

left here a few minutes ago. Tell her you're free 

and 

[She has seised Roy by the arm and is push- 
ing him towards the door. 

Roy. 
Well, you needn't be in such an awful hurry about 
it, Allison. 

Allison. 
I'm not in a hurry, but I'd like to see things set- 
tled one way or another. 

Roy. 
[Trying to lift the scene to its proper level.] It's 
mighty plucky of you to take it like this, Al. I know 
what it's costing you. 

Allison. 
Oh, you mustn't worry about me, Roy. 

Roy. 
But I am worrying. Makes me feel like a cad, 
rather. I asked you, Al, and if you don't want to 



1 44 A LLISON MA KES HA Y 

release me, I guess I'm enough of an officer and a 
gentleman to do the decent thing. 

Allison. 
[Aghast at the possibility.] You mean — marry 
me anyway ! Roy, you certainly are the stuff heroes 
are made of. But I wouldn't have that for worlds. 
Don't you see that I'm glad you've found the right 
girl at last — really glad? There's nothing else like 
it, is there, Roy ? 

Roy. . 
Nothing ! I say, how do you know ? 

Allison. 

[Quickly.] Now, you go and find Janey. She 

left here just a few minutes ago. Tell her I give 

you up to her freely. Tell her I won't marry you if 

I have to remain an old maid for the rest of my 

life. Tell her 

[The door bursts open and Margot enters 
fpllozved by Janey, Peter and Truesdale. 

Margot. 
Hello ! Here's the whole bunch ! Who's going to 
be an old maid ? 

Allison. 
Hello, Dr. Truesdale. Hello, Peter dear. Well, 
I've something to tell you all. Roy and I have 
broken our engagement. , 

Peter. 
[ Calmly. ] Really ? 

Janey. 
You have ! Why ? 



A L L1S( )N MA KES HAY 145 

Allison. 
I guess it was only a practice flight, Janey. Roy's 
ready for the real thing now. 

{Enter Jean from the wood-shed, unnoticed. 

Margot. 

Good for you, Al ! Nothing like the economic in- 
dependence of women ! 

Roy. 
Reckon there's not much danger of Allison re- 
maining an old maid ! 

Allison. 
I certainly don't want to. 

Jean. 
[Coming forward.] Mademoiselle, can I -be of 
service? If you will accept ze hand of a poor sol- 
dier 

Janey. 
Good gracious ! 

Allison. 
Oh, Jean, how chivalrous of you ! 

[She takes his hand. 

Roy. 
Allison! You accept? 

Allison. 
Out of pique, Roy ! 

Roy. 
What do you know of this fellow? 



146 ALLISON MAKES HAY 

Allison. 
We've worked together for three months on a 
farm. That's a pretty good test. 

Margot. 
You bet it is ! Jean's Class A, all right. 

Roy. 
Are you all joking? Are you really going to let 
Allison marry this chap, Mr. Weston ? 

Peter. 
Well, Roy, when Allison engaged him I took pains 
to look up his references [exchanging smiles with 
Truesdale], and I found them exceptionally satis- 
factory. Now that she's engaged to him, I don't 
feel that I need to go into it all over again. 

Jean. 

[His arm around Allison.] All over ze world, 

Monsieur, ze laboring class is coming into its own. 

Mademoiselle could not stand in ze way of progress. 

[They all gather around Jean and Allison 

in congratulation as 



THE CURTAIN FALLS. 



ALIAS BROWN 

A Satirical Farce in Three Acts 

By E. J. Whisler 

Eleven males, five females. Costumes, modern; scenery two interiors 
Plays two hours. Keeler, fearing arrest for- participation in a -love con 
jest in Sacramento, adopts the name of a cigar salesman, Mrown, whose 

card he finds in the train, and flees to Reno. Too late he finds Brown to 
he named as the corespondent in a divorce suit brought by Mr. Logan 
against his wife, and that Mr. and Mrs. Logan and Mary Gilbert, "the girl 
of his heart, are all on the ground. His troubles are many, but he finds 
a way out of them. Good rapid farce and very funny. 
Price, 25 cents 

CHARACTERS 

Mil. James Logan, a young married man. Age about twenty-five. 

Quick tempered. 
Mil. Mortimer, "Mrs. Mortimers husband" not subdued, bin 

submerged. Age about forty. 
John Brown, a cigar salesman Age about forty. A practical 

business man with no fills. Somewhat bald and a little gray. 
Vincent Allgood, the hotel clerk ( Nuf ced). 
Montmorency, a bell hop. 
Henry Keeler, a young man of about thirty. A gentleman of 

leisure, and a good fellow. 
Hilly Newcomb. a newspaper reporter. Alert and on the job. 
La Rue, the chief of police. A little heavy mentally, but persistent 

and faithful. 
Mil Thomas Richie,- a good-hearted, but weak young fellow, of 

about twenty four. 
Lee Waters, a theatrical manager. Pompous and much inclined 

to run things. 
Rastus, a porter. 
Mary Gilbert, a public stenographer. Age about twenty-five. A 

practical, sensible girl. 
Mrs. Marie Logan, a young married woman. Age about twenty- 
two. 
Mrs Beatrice Mortimer, an actress. Age about forty-five. 
Mrs. John Brown, about forty years old. ' Very mild mannered, a 

little old-fashioned. 
Mrs. Thomas" Richie, age about twenty. A flighty little thing, 

frivolous, but affectionate. 

A FULL HOUSE 

A Farce in One Act 

By Dorothy Waldo 

Three males, three females. Costumes, modern ; scene, an interior. 

Plays thirty minutes. Mrs. Jinks, who keeps a boarding house, gets two 

applicants for her second floor front mixed, and manages by accident to 

straighten out a tangled love affair. Full of laughs. Recommended. 

Price, 15 cents 



A REGULAR RAH ! RAH ! BOY 

A Comedy in Three Acts 
By Gladys Ruth Bridgham 
Fourteen male characters, sixteen or seventeen years old. Costume^ 
moaern ; scenery, two interiors. Plays an hour and three-quarters. Ar. 
ingenious and interesting story of football politics, into the plot of which 
the " movies " enter as a detective agency. Fred Williamson's unex- 
pected talents as a photo-play comedian get him into all kinds of trouble. 
Full of the true college atmosphere, lively, bright and a sure hit. Strongly 
recommended. Price, 25 cents 

CHARACTERS 



Le Roy Briggs, captain of the football team 
Sam Bigelow, centre 



Fred Williamson, quarter back \ boys sixteen and 



Should be played by 



seventeen years 
old. 



Harold Smith, half back 
Philip Ainsworth, sub 
Dick Colton, sub. j 

Russell Sydney ) 

Leonard Ferguson I Juniors. 
Stephen Reynolds ) 

Clayton King, football coach and instructor in Milford Academy. 
Murphy, trainer. 
Mr. Deane, an instructor. 

Alexander Norton, Manager of the Star Moving Picture Theatre 

Jimmy Colton, Dick's little brother, " a regular rah ! rah ! boy." 

Extra schoolboys and visitors for acts two and three. 

ON THE QUIET 

A Comedy in Two Acls 

By Gladys Ruth Bridgham 
Twelve male characters. Costumes, modern ; scene, a single interior, 
Plays an hour and a half. A picturesque and exciting story of the 
Maine Woods. Some Dartmouth freshmen, camping out, become the 
victims of a practical joke by one of their number who tires of the unex- 
citing life of the camp. They discover a note telling of a brutal murder 
in the woods and in their pursuit of the criminal through clews ingeniously 
furnished by the joker, they get a lot of inoffensive people into a sad 
mix-up, with the aid of Jeremiah Hincks, a rustic Sherlock Holmes. 
Very swift and lively and strongly recommended. Price, 25 cents 

HIRAM JONES' BET 

A Farce in One Act 
By May E. Countryman 
One male, two females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, an interior. 
Plays twenty minutes. Hiram Jones, an incurable maker of bets, in- 
veigles two ladies into making wagers with him in regard to the loan of a 
patent egg-beater ; he thinks that he has a safe thing on both, but dis- 
covering his plot, the ladies get together and so arrange matters that he 
loses both bets. Very lively, bright and funny and a sure thing with an 
audience. Price, ij cents 



CAPTAIN CRANBERRY 

A Cape Cod Drama in Three Acts 

By Gladys Ruth Bridgham 
Eight male, three female characters. Costumes, modern rustic anQ 
seafaring ; scenery, two easy interiors. Plays two hours. Cranford 
Berry, affectionately known as "Captain Cranberry," has gained from the 
griefs and hardships of a long life a beautiful philosophy and is the main- 
stay of his neighbors. Learning that Ariel, who has long passed as the 
daughter of Abner Freeman, a fellow mariner, is his own child, he will- 
ingly foregoes the rights of a father to secure her greater happiness ; but 
events make this great sacrifice unnecessary and all ends happily. Lee 
Gordon's pursuit of material for his great detective story, " The Mystery 
of the Seven Pipes," provides a wealth of comedy, and lots of excitement. 
Free of royalty. Strongly recommended. 

Price, 25 cents 

CHARACTERS 

Cranford Berry (Cap'n Cranberry), keeper of the, Bay Point 

Light. 
Abner' Freeman, a retired whaler. 
Obadiah Daniels, postmaster. 
Lemuel Sawyer, constable. 
Samuel Sawyer, his son. 
Lee Gordon, an author. 
Peter Pretzel Pomeroy, his accomplice, 
|Nat Williams. 

Ariel Freeman, Abner s daughter. 
Hepsy Sawyer, Lemuel' s wife. 
Cynthia Tinker. 

SYNOPSIS 

Act I. — Living-room in Cynthia's home — Bay Point, Cape Cod, 
Act II. — The same ; the next morning. 

Act III. — Room in Abner Freeman's old fish house on the 
shore J late afternoon of the same day. 



DOUBLE DUMMY 

A Comedietta in One Act 
By Etna S. Hunting 
One male, one female character. Costumes, modern ; scene, an inte 
rior. Plays twenty minutes. Merton Graves, of the Post, in an effort to 
interview the celebrated Mme. Mordini encounters Kathrine Coleman, of 
•the Press, whom he takes for Mordini, while she takes him for Wainworth, 
the painter, whom she is after on a similar errand. An amusing bit of 
mistaken identity, very actable. 

Price, ij cents 



RED ACRE FARM 

A Rural Comedy Drama in Three Acts by Gordan V. May. Sevet 
males, five females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, one interioi, one exte- 
rior. Plays two hours. An easy and entertaining play with a well-bai- 
Miced cast of characters. The story is strong and sympathetic and the 
comedy element varied and amusing. Barnaby Strutl is a great part foi 
•\ good come.iian ; " Junior " a close second. Strongly recommended. 
Price, 25 cents 

THE COUNTRY MINISTER 

A Comedy Drama in Five Acts by Arthur Lewis Tubbs. Eight males 
five females. Costumes, modern ; scenery not difficult. Plays a full even 
cng. A very sympathetic piece, of powerful dramatic interest ; strong and 
varied comedy relieves tlie serious plot. Ralph Underwood, the minister, 
is a great part, and Roxy a strong soubrette ; all parts are good and full 
of opportunity. Clean, bright and strongly recommended. 
Price, 25 cents 

THE COLONEL'S MAID 

A Comedy in Three Acts by C. Leona Dalrymple. Six males, three 
females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, twe interiors. Plays a full even- 
ing. An exceptionally bright and amusing comedy, full of action ; all the 
parts good. Capital Chinese low comedy part ; two first-class old men. 
This is a very exceptional piece and can be strongly recommended. 
Ptice, 25 cento 

MOSE 

A Comedy in Three Acts by C. W. Miles . Eleven males, ten females. 
Scenery, two interiors ; costumes, modern. Plays an hour and a half. A 
lively college farce, full of the true college spirit. Its cast is large, but 
many of- the parts are small and incidental. Introduces a good deal of 
singing, which will serve to lengthen the performance. Recommended 
highly for coeducational colleges. Price, ij cents 

OUR WIVES 

A Farce in Three Acts by Anthony E. Wills. Seven males, four fe- 
males. Costumes, modern ; scenery, two interiors. Plays two hours and 
a half. A bustling, up-to-date farce, full of movement and action ; all 
the parts good and effective ; easy to produce ; just the thing for an ex- 
perienced amateur club and hard to spoil, even in the hands of less 
practical players. Free for amateur performance. Price, 25 cents 

THE SISTERHOOD OF BRIDGET 

A Farce in Three Acts by Robert El win Ford. Seven males, six fe- 
males. Costumes, modern; scenery, easy interiors. Plays two hours. 
An easy, effective and very humorous piece turning upon the always in- 
teresting servant girl question. A very unusual number of comedy parts; 
4ll the parts good. Easy to get up and well recommended. Price, 25 centi 



THE BEWILDERING MIS3 FELICIA 

A Comedy in Three Acts 

By Granville Forbes Sturgis 

( Written expressly for and presented by 'J lie .Drama Club of 

the Denver Grade Teachers' Association, Colorado.) 

Fourteen females. Scenery, one interior and one exterior ; costumes, 

period of iSjc, but may be modern, if desired. Miss Felicia comes to the 

sleepy town of Lilac and occupies her grandfather's mansion. By her 

radiant personality she transforms the characters of all the old maids of 

'he village, making them drop all their petty shams and jealousies, 

French dialect, negro and country girl comedy characters; all the parte 

first-class. A strong piece and not difficult. Plays two and a quarter hours. 

Price, 25 cents s 

CHARACTERS 

Felicia Freeman, the newcomer. 

Miss Adeline Paisley, an old maid, 

Mrs. Captain Hippolytus Biddle. 

Mrs. Frederick Addison, divorced. 

Mrs. Robert Douglas, honeymooning alone. 

Mrs. Marcia Murray, a widow. 

Norma Murk ay, her daughter. 

Miss Mehitable Oggsby, a landlady. 

Hannah Jane, a drudge for Miss Oggsby. 

Miss Lucretia Long," inclined to be frivolous. 

Mrs. John Jose, who sells butter and eggs. 

Sally Johnson, a laundress. 

Freedom, colored, but free. 

Mamselle, maid to Felicia. 

SYNOPSIS 

Act I. — The vacant house. Exterior. — Late afternoon. 
Act II. — Miss Felicia's. Interior.— One year later. 
Act II U— Miss Felicia says " Good-bye." Exterior.— Six weeks 
later, afternoon. 



THREE OF A KIND 

A Comedy Sketch in One Act 
By Gladys Ruth Bridgham 
One male, six female characters. Scene, a simple interior ; costumes, 
modern. Written expressly for the author's High School pupils from 
fourteen to seventeen years of age; one adult and one child of seven. 
Miss Carrington, the new governess, is expected to arrive, and it occurs 
to both Bob and Eloise to disguise themselves like her and have a little 
fun. Their mix up with the real Miss C. is very funny. Easy, rapid an& 
laughable; a sure hit and can be recommended. Plays twenty-five 
minutes. 

Prie, is cents 



A COUPLE OF MILLION 

An American Comedy in Four Acts 
By Walter Ben Hare 

Author of " Professor Pepp," " Much Ado About Hetty/* 
" The Hoodoo," " The Dutch Detective," eic. 

Six males, five females. Costumes, modern ; scenery, two interiors 
and an exterior. Plays a full evening. Royalty, ten dollars ($10.00) for 
each performance. A more ambitious play by this popular author in the 
same successful vein as his previous oflerings. Bemis Bennington is left 
two million dollars by his uncle on condition that he shall live for one 
year in a town of less than five thousand inhabitants and during thai 
period marry and earn without other assistance than his own industry and 
ability the sum of five thousand dollars. Failing to accomplish this the 
money goes to one Professor Noah Jabb. This is done despite the energetic 
opposition of Jabb, who puts up a very interesting fight. A capital play 
that can be strongly recommended. Plenty of good comedy and a great 
variety of good parts, full of opportunity. 

Price, 25 ce7its 

CHARACTERS 

Bemis Bennington. Fay Fairbanks. 

Hon. Jeremy Wise. Mrs. Clarice Courtenay. 

James Patrick Burns, "Stubby." Genevieve McGully. 

Professor Noah Jabb. Sammie Bell Porter. 

Beverly Loman. Pink. 

Squire Piper. 

Several Hill- Billies. 

SYNOPSIS 

Act I. — The law office of Hon. Jeremy Wise, New York City 
A morning in July. 

Act II. — The exterior of the court-house, Opaloopa, Alabama 
An afternoon in October. 

Act III. — Same as Act II. The next afternoon. 

Act IV. — Mrs. Courtenay's sitting-room, Opaloopa, "Alabama. 
A night in April. 



ISOSCELES 

A Play in One Act 
By Walter Ben Hare 
Two male, one female characters. Costumes, modern ; scene, an in 
terior. Plays twenty minutes. Royalty $2.50 for each performance. An 
admirable little travesty of the conventional emotional recipe calling for 
husband, wife and lover. Played in the proper spirit of burlesque it is 
howlingly funny. Strongly recommended for the semi-professional uses 
of schools of acting. A capital bit for a benefit or exhibition programme, 
Suffering a decided novelty. 

Price, 25 cents 



4 Plays and Novelties That Have Been " Winners " 



The Americana 

Anita's Trial 

Art Clubs are Trumps 

Behind the Scenes 

The Camp Fire Girls 

A Case for Sherlock Holmes 

The Farmerette 

Getting the Range 

Her First Assignment 

Hltty's Service Flag 

Joint Owners in Spain 

A King's Daughter 

The Knitting Club Meets 

A Lady to Call 

Leave it to Polly 

The Minute Man 

Miss Fearless & Co. 

A Modern Cinderella 

Moth-Bails 

Rebecca's Triumph 

The Thirteenth Star 

Twelve Old Maids 

An Awkward Squad 

The Blow-Up of Algernon Blow 

The Boy Scouts 

A Close Shave 

The First National Boot 

A Half- Back's Interference 

His Father's Son 

The Man With the Nose 

On the Quiet 

The People's Money 

A Regular Rah I Rah! Boy 

A Regular Scream 

Schmerecase In School 

The Scoutmaster 

The Tramps' Convention 

The Turn in the Road 

Wanted— A Pitcher 

What They Did for Jenkins 

Aunt Jerusha's Quilting Party 

The District School at Blueberry 

Corners 
The Emigrants' Party 
Miss Prim's Kindergarten 
A Pageant of History 
The Revel of the Year 
Scenes in the Union Depot 
Taking the Census in Blngville 
The Village Post-Office 
Women in War 



Males Females Time 



8 
8 

20 

6 
7 

IO 

14 
8 

12 
II 

»4 
II 

9 
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'7 

9 

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'4 

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24 



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16 


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2 



Price 
25c 
2 5 C 
25C 
25C 
25c 
25C 
25C 
2 S C 

I5C 
25c 
2 5 C 
25c 
25 c 
ISC 
25C 
25C 
25C 
25c 
25C 
25 c 
25C 
25C 
I5C 

«5c 
25c 

'5c 
15c 

25c 

! 5c 
25c 
25 c 
25c 
25c 

'5c 
25c 
25c 
'5c 
15c 
25c 
25c 

25c 
25c 
25c 
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25c 
25c 

25c 

»5c 



Royalty 

Free 



#5.00 
Free 



BAKER, 5 Hamilton Place, Boston, Mass. 



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and 


High Schools 


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Males 


Females Time 


Prfri 


Royalty 


J The Air Spy 


12 


4 


i}i hrs. 


25C 


Special 1 


Bachelor Hall 


8 


4 


2 « 


25C 


£5.00 
Free 1 


i The College Chap 


II 


7 


2# " 


25C 


J The Colonel's Maid 


6 


3 


2 " 


25C 


'« 1 


jj Daddy 


4 


4 


I^ " 


25C 


M 


i The Deacon's Second Wife 


6 


6 


2Y2 " 


25C 


M 


J The District Attorney 


IO 


6 


2 " 


25C 


M 


The Dutch Detective 


5 


S 


2 « 


25C 


M 


<| An Easy Mark 


5 


2 


K " 


»5C 


M 


J The Elopement of Ellen 


4 


3 


2 « 


25c 


M 


Engaged by Wednesday 


5 


11 


I# " 


25c 


U 


% The Farmerette 




7 


2 « 


25c 


M 


J For One Night Only 


5 


4 


2 " 


*5c 


M 


Hamilton 


ii 


5 


2 « 


50c 


Special 


<j Hlgbee of Harvard 


5 


4 


2 « 


15c 


Free 


1 Hltty's Service Flag 




11 


\% « 


25c 


« 


jj The Hoodoo 


6 


12 


2 •« 


25c 


M 


5 The Hurdy Gurdy Olrt 


9 


9 


2 « 


25c 


If 


4 Katy Did 


4 


8 


1^ " 


25c 


M 


Let's Get Married 


3 


5 


2 « 


50c 


Special 


<| London Assurance 


IO 


3 


2 " 


*5 C 


Free 


J Lost a Chaperon 


6 


9 


2 " 


25c 


« 


The Man from Brandon 


3 


4 


K " 


J 5 C 


11 


i The Man Who Went 


7 


3 


2^ " 


25c 


Special 1 


J The Man Without a Country 


46 


5 


1^ " 


25c 


Free ] 


Master Pierre Patelln 


4 


1 


'# " 


50c 


tt 


1 Me and Otis 


5 


4 


2 « 


«5c 


11 


4 The Minute Man 




13 


IJ£ " 


25c 


11 1 


Mose 


ii 


10 


I# " 


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4 Mr. Bob 


3 


4 


I# " 


«5c 


11 


4 Mrs. Briggs of the Poultry Yard 


4 


7 


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25c 


11 1 


Nathan Hale 


'I 


4 


2^ " 


50c 


$10.00 


1 Nephew or Uncle 


3 


2 « 


25c 


Free 1 


4 Professor Pepp 


8 


8 


2^ - 


25c 


11 1 


1 A Regiment of Two 


6 


4 


2 " 


25c 


11 


1 The Revenge of Sharl-Hot-Sa 


3 


4 


iX •• 


'5c 


11 


i The Rivals 


9 


5 


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15c 


11 


jj The Romancers 


3 


1 


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•J The Rose and the Ring 


16 


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II 


i Sally Lunn 


3 


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The School for Scandal 


12 


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2J4 " 


>SC 


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1 She Stoops to Conquer 


15 


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2^ « 


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II 


i Step Lively 


4 


10 


2 " 


25c 


11 


The Submarine Shell 


7 


4 


2 " 


25c 


Special 


5 The Thirteenth Star 




9 


1# " 


25 c 


Free 


i The Time of His Lift 


6 


3 


2% « 


25c 


• 


j Tommy's Wife 


3 


5 


l# M 


25c 


" 


1 The Twig of Thorn 


6 


7 


I# * 


60c 


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<j For " special " royalties, see 


catalogue descript 


ions for 




J detailed information. 






<j BAKER, 5 Hamilton Place, Boston 


f Mass* 


ii ........... 










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